# ELF4

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/elf4/  
OnCo record `elf4` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

ELF4 (ETS-related transcription factor Elf-4) is a gene whose normal job is to hold cell growth in check. The public catalogues list it as a tumour suppressor and a fusion partner, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Breast cancer, Skin cancer and Acute myeloid leukaemia.

## Summary

Transcriptional activator that binds to DNA sequences containing the consensus 5'-WGGA-3'. Transactivates promoters of the haematopoietic growth factor genes CSF2, IL3, IL8, and of the bovine lysozyme gene. Acts synergistically with RUNX1 to transactivate the IL3 promoter.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.66 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.94, genetic association 0.00, somatic mutation 0.85). IntOGen calls it a driver in 2 cohorts (0 activating, 2 loss-of-function), covering Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Low-Grade Glioma, NOS.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: E74 like ETS transcription factor 4; ETS-related transcription factor Elf-4
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: ELF4
- Class: tumor-suppressor
- Biology: Transcriptional activator that binds to DNA sequences containing the consensus 5'-WGGA-3'. Transactivates promoters of the haematopoietic growth factor genes CSF2, IL3, IL8, and of the bovine lysozyme gene. Acts synergistically with RUNX1 to transactivate the IL3 promoter. Transactivates the PRF1 promoter in natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells. Plays a role in the development and function of NK and NK T-cells and in innate immunity. Controls the proliferation and homing of CD8+ T-cells via the Kruppel-like factors KLF4 and KLF2. Location: Nucleus, PML body (UniProt). Locus Xq26.1 (HGNC).
- Where found: Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.51 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.51 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Acute myeloid leukaemia: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (AML)

## Notes

- Written by scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts from CIViC, Open Targets, IntOGen, HGNC and UniProt; the function text is UniProt's, condensed and in UK spelling. Roles: IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 2 cohorts; UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "cohort-driver" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.
- Diseases the sources name that have no OnCo cancer page yet, so they are not linked: Low-Grade Glioma, NOS.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:3319: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:3319
- UniProt Q99607: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q99607/entry
- NCBI Gene 2000: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/2000
- Ensembl ENSG00000102034: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000102034

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Acute myeloid leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/aml/), [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/elf4.json