WD repeat-containing protein 5

WDR5 (WD repeat-containing protein 5) is a 334-amino acid protein that functions as a core component of histone-modifying complexes (UniProt: P61964). It contributes to epigenetic gene regulation by facilitating histone H3 lysine-4 methylation through its role in MLL1/MLL and related complexes, and supports histone H4 acetylation as part of the NSL complex. These modifications are associated with transcriptional activation and chromatin remodeling.

WDR5 operates within conserved chromatin-remodeling pathways and interacts with multiple histone methyltransferases including KMT2A, KMT2B, KMT2C, KMT2D, SETD1A, and SETD1B (UniProt: P61964). The protein may also regulate osteoblast differentiation. No disease associations are documented in the UniProt record itself.

WDR5 is upregulated in Alzheimer's Disease brain tissue. Analysis of post-mortem AD brain versus age-matched controls using TMT-labeled proteomics identified increased WDR5 abundance with a mean log2 fold-change of +0.47 (Chaparral AD proteomics). This upregulation suggests potential involvement in AD-related pathological processes, though the functional consequence of elevated WDR5 in neurodegeneration remains to be determined.