Protein / target

Tyrosine-protein kinase JAK2

JAK2O60674Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
Clinically validated
Therapeutic maturity
18
Approved medicines
30
Clinical trials
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Approved Drug

Protein at a glance

Biological role

Non-membrane spanning protein tyrosine kinase activity

Primary system

Nervous system

Strongest disease association

ulcerative colitis

Genetic evidence · score 0.82

Therapeutic maturity

Clinically validated target

18 approved medicines against this target

Druggability

Small molecule

Open Targets tractability · Approved Drug

Clinical development

18 approved · 13 in clinical development

30 linked trials

Derived from structured UniProt, Open Targets and literature data on this page.

Protein profile

UniProt 2026_02

Canonical identity and biological annotation from UniProt.

Function

Non-membrane spanning protein tyrosine kinase that phosphorylates type I receptors such as growth hormone (GHR), prolactin (PRLR), leptin (LEPR), erythropoietin (EPOR), thrombopoietin receptor (MPL/TPOR); or type II receptors including IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, IFN-gamma and multiple interleukins (PubMed:15690087, PubMed:15899890, PubMed:7615558, PubMed:9188471, PubMed:9657743). Functionnally, plays a pivotal role in signal transduction and is involved in various processes such as cell growth, development, differentiation or histone modifications. Mediates essential signaling events in both innate and adaptive immunity. Mechanistically, following ligand-binding to cell surface receptors, phosphorylates specific tyrosine residues on the cytoplasmic tails of the receptor, creating docking sites for STATs proteins (PubMed:15690087, PubMed:9618263). Subsequently, phosphorylates the STATs proteins once they are recruited to the receptor. Phosphorylated STATs then form homodimer or heterodimers and translocate to the nucleus to activate gene transcription. For example, cell stimulation with erythropoietin (EPO) during erythropoiesis leads to JAK2 autophosphorylation, activation, and its association with erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) that becomes phosphorylated in its cytoplasmic domain (PubMed:9657743). Then, STAT5 (STAT5A or STAT5B) is recruited, phosphorylated and activated by JAK2. Once activated, dimerized STAT5 translocates into the nucleus and promotes the transcription of several essential genes involved in the modulation of erythropoiesis. Part of a signaling cascade that is activated by increased cellular retinol and that leads to the activation of STAT5 (STAT5A or STAT5B) (PubMed:21368206). In addition, JAK2 mediates angiotensin-2-induced ARHGEF1 phosphorylation (PubMed:20098430). Plays a role in cell cycle by phosphorylating CDKN1B (PubMed:21423214). Cooperates with TEC through reciprocal phosphorylation to mediate cytokine-driven activation of FOS transcription. In the nucleus, plays a key role in chromatin by specifically mediating phosphorylation of 'Tyr-41' of histone H3 (H3Y41ph), a specific tag that promotes exclusion of CBX5 (HP1 alpha) from chromatin (PubMed:19783980). Up-regulates the potassium voltage-gated channel activity of KCNA3 (PubMed:25644777). Binding of CNTF or the CLCF1/CLF heterodimer to CNTFR leads to IL6ST/gp130-LIFR dimerization followed by activation of JAK1 and JAK2 which in turns phosphorylate IL6ST/gp130 and LIFR (PubMed:11294841). The tyrosine phosphorylated signaling receptors serve in turn as docking proteins for STAT3 (PubMed:11294841). Involved in the oncostatin-M-mediated signaling pathway through both type I OSM receptor complex (heterodimers composed of LIFR and IL6ST) and type II OSM receptor complex (heterodimers composed of OSMR and IL6ST) (PubMed:9188471)

Subcellular location

Endomembrane systemCytoplasmNucleus
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (118)

Domains & features

FERMSH2; atypicalProtein kinase 1Protein kinase 2

Gene Ontology

  • Ccaveola
  • Cchromatin
  • Ccytoplasm
  • Ccytoplasmic side of plasma membrane
  • Ccytosol
  • Cendosome lumen
  • Ceuchromatin
  • Cextrinsic component of cytoplasmic side of plasma membrane
  • Cextrinsic component of plasma membrane
  • Cglutamatergic synapse
  • Cmembrane raft
  • Cnucleoplasm

1132 aa · 131 kDa

Biological roles

Reactome v97

What this protein does, drawn together from its UniProt function, Gene Ontology terms and Reactome pathways.

Kinase signallingUniProt · GO · ReactomeImmune signallingUniProt · GO · ReactomeTranscriptional regulationUniProt · GOSynaptic signallingGOApoptosis & cell deathGOHaemostasisGO
View supporting evidence

Kinase signalling

  • ·Non-membrane spanning protein tyrosine kinase that phosphorylates type I receptors such…
  • ·histone H3Y41 kinase activity
  • ·non-membrane spanning protein tyrosine kinase activity
  • ·protein kinase activity

Immune signalling

  • ·Non-membrane spanning protein tyrosine kinase that phosphorylates type I receptors such…
  • ·interleukin-12 receptor binding
  • ·adaptive immune response
  • ·cytokine-mediated signaling pathway

Transcriptional regulation

  • ·Non-membrane spanning protein tyrosine kinase that phosphorylates type I receptors such…
  • ·positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II

Synaptic signalling

  • ·glutamatergic synapse
  • ·postsynapse
  • ·modulation of chemical synaptic transmission
  • ·regulation of postsynapse to nucleus signaling pathway

Apoptosis & cell death

  • ·apoptotic process
  • ·negative regulation of cardiac muscle cell apoptotic process
  • ·negative regulation of neuron apoptotic process
  • ·positive regulation of epithelial cell apoptotic process

Haemostasis

  • ·platelet-derived growth factor receptor signaling pathway
  • ·positive regulation of platelet activation
  • ·positive regulation of platelet aggregation
View underlying pathways (25)

Concepts derived from UniProt GO Reactome — each badge above shows which sources supported that role.

Interaction neighbourhood

STRING v12.0

Proteins with the strongest functional or physical association. Node size and line weight reflect STRING confidence; hover or select a partner to inspect one association.

STAT1LEPRSTAT5ASOCS3EPORIFNGR2STAT3IFNGR1STAT5BGHRJAK2

10 strongest partners — larger node and heavier line mean higher confidence

Functional and physical associations from STRING v12.0. Only associations with this protein are drawn — partner-to-partner links are not part of this evidence.

Drugs targeting this protein

1

Whether each drug engages this protein directly or through a complex, and how many other targets are recorded for it. Direct binders with few recorded targets are listed first.

baricitinib
Narrow target profileApprovedInhibitor

Tyrosine-protein kinase JAK2 inhibitor

Appears in clinical studies involving juvenile idiopathic arthritis, atopic eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile dermatomyositis

Direct interaction with this protein · 1 of 2 recorded protein targets — narrow recorded profile

ChEMBL mechanism, action type and target identity. Open Targets clinical status and indications.

Translational evidence

Open Targets 26

Why this target matters therapeutically — disease associations, drugs in development, tractability and safety, from Open Targets.

Strongest genetic associations

Human genetic evidence — the most direct causal link between this target and a disease.

ulcerative colitis0.82

Genetic · overall 0.72

Crohn disease0.81

Genetic · overall 0.69

Splenomegaly0.79

Genetic · overall 0.68

acquired polycythemia vera0.78

Genetic · overall 0.80

acute myeloid leukemia0.74

Genetic · overall 0.67

Highest-confidence therapeutic associations

Diseases where a drug acting on this target has already reached clinical development.

myelofibrosis0.97

Clinical · overall 0.74

primary myelofibrosis0.94

Clinical · overall 0.75

neoplasm0.87

Clinical · overall 0.69

myeloproliferative disorder0.84

Clinical · overall 0.70

cancer0.16

Clinical · overall 0.66

Show all associations
acquired polycythemia vera0.80
primary myelofibrosis0.75
myelofibrosis0.74
ulcerative colitis0.72
myeloproliferative disorder0.70
Crohn disease0.69
neoplasm0.69
Splenomegaly0.68
acute myeloid leukemia0.67
cancer0.66

Open Targets ranks 1,636 associations for this target and we store the top 10 by aggregated score. The long tail is largely literature co-mention and RNA-expression evidence, not evidence that this target drives those diseases.

Known drugs · 31 total

FEDRATINIB HYDROCHLORIDEApproval

myeloproliferative disorder · primary myelofibrosis · myelofibrosis

GANDOTINIBPhase 2

breast cancer · myeloproliferative neoplasm · essential thrombocythemia

XL-019Phase 3

acquired polycythemia vera · myelofibrosis

AT-9283Phase 3

plasma cell myeloma · acute lymphoblastic leukemia · myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia

BMS-911543Phase 2

myelofibrosis

UPADACITINIB HEMIHYDRATEApproval

rheumatoid arthritis · ulcerative colitis

ZOTIRACICLIBPhase 1 2

anaplastic astrocytoma · glioblastoma · gliosarcoma

NS-018Phase 2

myelofibrosis · primary myelofibrosis · myelofibrosis

TOFACITINIB CITRATEApproval

psoriatic arthritis · rheumatoid arthritis · Alopecia universalis

LESTAURTINIBApproval

acute myeloid leukemia by FAB classification · myeloid leukemia · acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Tractability

SM · Approved DrugSM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandSM · High-Quality PocketSM · Druggable FamilyAB · GO CC high confAB · UniProt loc med confPR · LiteraturePR · UniProt UbiquitinationPR · Database UbiquitinationPR · Half-life DataPR · Small Molecule Binder

Safety liabilities

heart diseaseregulation of catalytic activity

Clinical trials

30

Trials of drugs that target this protein — reached indirectly through those drugs, so a trial listed here studies the drug, not the protein.

Show remaining trials (24)

COMPLETED · via baricitinib · NCT05188521

RECRUITING · via baricitinib · NCT05792462

COMPLETED · via baricitinib · NCT05524311

TERMINATED · via baricitinib · NCT05238896

ClinicalTrials.gov via the drug-target graph.

Related literature

3

Papers indexed under “Janus Kinase 2” — a subject heading that covers this protein without being specific to it. Shown as context; not counted as this protein's own research activity.

Europe PMC literature, reached through a MeSH descriptor linked to this protein.

Forefront confidence

Synthesis

Our own weighting of the evidence behind each disease association. Human genetics and clinical evidence count for most; literature co-mention counts for little, because two entities sharing an abstract is not evidence that one drives the other.

acquired polycythemia veraWell supported
0.97
agreement 0.881.00
Genetic36%Clinical32%Somatic mutation18%Animal model8%Literature7%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.80 · 5 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

ulcerative colitisWell supported
0.96
agreement 0.871.00
Genetic46%Clinical40%Somatic mutation11%Literature2%RNA expression1%

Open Targets aggregate 0.72 · 5 independent evidence families

myelofibrosisWell supported
0.95
agreement 0.871.00
Clinical35%Genetic literature23%Somatic mutation19%Pathway12%Animal model7%Literature4%

Open Targets aggregate 0.74 · 6 independent evidence families

primary myelofibrosisWell supported
0.95
agreement 0.861.00
Clinical36%Genetic33%Somatic mutation19%Animal model8%Literature4%

Open Targets aggregate 0.75 · 5 independent evidence families

Crohn diseaseWell supported
0.94
agreement 0.841.00
Genetic52%Clinical44%Literature4%

Open Targets aggregate 0.69 · 3 independent evidence families

The evidence agreement range shows how closely the independent evidence families agree — it is not a statistical confidence interval, and nothing here is fitted to outcome data. Derived from Open Targets evidence types under Forefront weighting; the underlying per-type scores are shown above so the calculation can be checked.

What's happening now

11

Recent activity around this target, drawn from one canonical event stream. Every item is reached through a drug that targets this protein, so each event is news about that drug rather than about the protein directly.

  1. Label change2026-06-30

    Label change: BARICITINIB (NDA207924)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via baricitinib

  2. Indication expanded2022-06-13

    Indication expansion: BARICITINIB (NDA207924)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via baricitinib

  3. Indication expanded2022-05-10

    Indication expansion: BARICITINIB (NDA207924)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via baricitinib

  4. Label change2021-12-02

    Label change: BARICITINIB (NDA207924)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via baricitinib

  5. New publication2021-01-01
    Immunopathogenesis and treatment of cytokine storm in COVID-19.

    Theranostics · 2021 · 308 citations · Europe PMC · via baricitinib

  6. Safety communication2020-08-26

    Drug Safety Update: Baricitinib (Olumiant▼): increased risk of diverticulitis, particularly in patients with risk factors

    mhra · safety · mhra · via baricitinib

  7. Label change2020-07-08

    Label change: BARICITINIB (NDA207924)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via baricitinib

  8. Safety communication2020-03-18

    Drug Safety Update: Baricitinib (Olumiant▼): risk of venous thromboembolism

    mhra · safety · mhra · via baricitinib

  9. Indication expanded2019-10-08

    Indication expansion: BARICITINIB (NDA207924)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via baricitinib

  10. Regulatory approval2018-05-31

    Approval: BARICITINIB (NDA207924)

    fda · regulatory · fda · via baricitinib

  11. Regulatory approval2017-02-13

    Approval: Olumiant (EMA)

    ema · regulatory · ema · via baricitinib

Objective event titles are shown unmodified; the event kind and significance line are derived from structured fields. Forefront AttentionEvent stream aggregating Europe PMC Regulatory filings ClinicalTrials.gov.