# HLA-DRA

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

## TL;DR

HLA-DRA (HLA class II histocompatibility antigen, DR alpha chain) is a gene. The public catalogues list it as a drug target and a biomarker, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Melanoma.

## Summary

An alpha chain of antigen-presenting major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) molecule. In complex with the beta chain HLA-DRB, displays antigenic peptides on professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) for recognition by alpha-beta T cell receptor (TCR) on HLA-DR-restricted CD4-positive T cells. This guides antigen-specific T-helper effector functions, both antibody-mediated immune response and macrophage activation, to ultimately eliminate the infectious agents and transformed cells.

CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence item and 0 assertions across 1 variant, naming Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab and Atezolizumab.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: major histocompatibility complex, class II, DR alpha; HLA class II histocompatibility antigen, DR alpha chain; HLA-DRA1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: HLA-DRA
- Class: other
- Biology: An alpha chain of antigen-presenting major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) molecule. In complex with the beta chain HLA-DRB, displays antigenic peptides on professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) for recognition by alpha-beta T cell receptor (TCR) on HLA-DR-restricted CD4-positive T cells. This guides antigen-specific T-helper effector functions, both antibody-mediated immune response and macrophage activation, to ultimately eliminate the infectious agents and transformed cells. Typically presents extracellular peptide antigens of 10 to 30 amino acids that arise from proteolysis of endocytosed antigens in lysosomes. In the tumour microenvironment, presents antigenic peptides that are primarily generated in tumour-resident APCs likely via phagocytosis of apoptotic tumour cells or macropinocytosis of secreted tumour proteins. Presents peptides derived from intracellular proteins that are trapped in autolysosomes after macroautophagy, a mechanism especially relevant for T cell selection in the thymus and central immune tolerance. Location: Cell membrane; Endoplasmic reticulum membrane; Early endosome membrane; Late endosome membrane (UniProt). Locus 6p21.32 (HGNC).
- Where found: Melanoma: CIViC evidence names this disease

## 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: CIViC lists 3 therapies; 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:4947: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:4947
- UniProt P01903: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P01903/entry
- NCBI Gene 3122: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3122
- Ensembl ENSG00000204287: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000204287

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/)
- cancers: [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/)

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