EXOC2 interacts with Ral (RAS-like proto-oncogene) proteins at the nexus of viral exposure and host immune response43 and is critical for cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis44,45; it also interacts with NF-κ pathway constituent, TBK1 (TANK binding kinase 1) to promote tumor cell survival46. Here, TBK1 is linked to neoplasm.