# HLA-B

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

## TL;DR

HLA-B (HLA class I histocompatibility antigen, B alpha chain) is a gene whose normal job is to hold cell growth in check. The public catalogues list it as a tumour suppressor and a biomarker, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Cervical cancer, Oesophageal cancer, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and 3 more.

## Summary

Antigen-presenting major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) molecule. In complex with B2M/beta 2 microglobulin displays primarily viral and tumour-derived peptides on antigen-presenting cells for recognition by alpha-beta T cell receptor (TCR) on HLA-B-restricted CD8-positive T cells, guiding antigen-specific T cell immune response to eliminate infected or transformed cells. May also present self-peptides derived from the signal sequence of secreted or membrane proteins, although T cells specific for these peptides are usually inactivated to prevent autoreactivity.

CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence item and 0 assertions across 1 variant. Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.52 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.86, animal model 0.48, genetic association 0.00, somatic mutation 0.80). IntOGen calls it a driver in 6 cohorts (0 activating, 6 loss-of-function), covering Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, NOS, Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Malignant Lymphoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: major histocompatibility complex, class I, B; HLA class I histocompatibility antigen, B alpha chain
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: HLA-B
- Class: tumor-suppressor
- Biology: Antigen-presenting major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) molecule. In complex with B2M/beta 2 microglobulin displays primarily viral and tumour-derived peptides on antigen-presenting cells for recognition by alpha-beta T cell receptor (TCR) on HLA-B-restricted CD8-positive T cells, guiding antigen-specific T cell immune response to eliminate infected or transformed cells. May also present self-peptides derived from the signal sequence of secreted or membrane proteins, although T cells specific for these peptides are usually inactivated to prevent autoreactivity. Both the peptide and the MHC molecule are recognised by TCR, the peptide is responsible for the fine specificity of antigen recognition and MHC residues account for the MHC restriction of T cells. Typically presents intracellular peptide antigens of 8 to 13 amino acids that arise from cytosolic proteolysis via constitutive proteasome and IFNG-induced immunoproteasome. Can bind different peptides containing allele-specific binding motifs, which are mainly defined by anchor residues at position 2 and 9. Location: Cell membrane; Endoplasmic reticulum membrane (UniProt). Locus 6p21.33 (HGNC).
- Where found: Cervical cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (CESC); Oesophageal cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (ESCA); Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (HNSC); Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (MLYM); Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: CIViC evidence names this disease; IntOGen driver in 2 cohorts (DLBCLNOS); Oesophageal and junctional adenocarcinoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (ESCA)

## 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 6 cohorts; CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence items on its variants. Evidence tier "clinical-evidence" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:4932: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:4932
- UniProt P01889: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P01889/entry
- NCBI Gene 3106: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3106
- Ensembl ENSG00000234745: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000234745

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/), [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Cervical cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/cervical/), [Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/dlbcl/), [Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/head-and-neck/), [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/), [Oesophageal and junctional adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/oesophageal-adenocarcinoma/), [Oesophageal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/esophageal/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/hla-b.json