# GPR161

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/gpr161/  
OnCo record `gpr161` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

GPR161 (G protein-coupled receptor 161) is a gene. In the public catalogues the evidence so far is association rather than a proven role. Tied to Medulloblastoma.

## Summary

G protein-coupled receptor that acts as a key inhibitor of the smoothened signalling pathway in primary cilia. Inhibits the smoothened signalling pathway in absence of hedgehog (DHH, IHH or SHH) by promoting formation of the transcription repressor form of GLI2 and GLI3 transcription factors. GPR161 activation triggers signalling via guanine nucleotide-binding protein G(s)/GNAS, mediating activation of adenylate cyclase activity and production of cAMP.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: G protein-coupled receptor 161; RE2
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: GPR161
- Class: other
- Biology: G protein-coupled receptor that acts as a key inhibitor of the smoothened signalling pathway in primary cilia. Inhibits the smoothened signalling pathway in absence of hedgehog (DHH, IHH or SHH) by promoting formation of the transcription repressor form of GLI2 and GLI3 transcription factors. GPR161 activation triggers signalling via guanine nucleotide-binding protein G(s)/GNAS, mediating activation of adenylate cyclase activity and production of cAMP. Increased cAMP levels activate PKA, promoting PKA-dependent processing of GLI2 and GLI3 transcription factors, leading to formation of transcription repressor GLI2R and GLI3R, which repress expression of target genes. GPR161 also activates PKA by acting as a PKA-anchoring protein, which directly associates with type I PKA regulatory subunits (PRKAR1A and/or PRKAR1B), recruiting PKA followed by PKA-dependent processing of GLI2 and GLI3 transcription factors. In presence of hedgehog, GPR161 is removed from primary cilia by smoothened (SMO), preventing its activity and allowing activation of the smoothened signalling. Location: Cell projection, cilium membrane; Cell membrane (UniProt). Locus 1q24.2 (HGNC).
- Where found: Medulloblastoma: Open Targets association 0.64 with medulloblastoma (MONDO_0007959)

## 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: none stated by the sources. Evidence tier "association-only" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:23694: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:23694
- UniProt Q8N6U8: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q8N6U8/entry
- NCBI Gene 23432: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/23432
- Ensembl ENSG00000143147: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000143147

## Connected records

- collections: [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Medulloblastoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/medulloblastoma/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/gpr161.json