# HNF1A

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/hnf1a/  
OnCo record `hnf1a` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

HNF1A (Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-alpha) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver and a tumour suppressor, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Renal cell carcinoma, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Skin cancer and 5 more.

## Summary

Transcriptional activator that regulates the tissue specific expression of multiple genes, especially in pancreatic islet cells and in liver. Binds to the inverted palindrome 5'-GTTAATNATTAAC-3'. Activates the transcription of CYP1A2, CYP2E1 and CYP3A11.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.83 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes affected pathway 0.38, literature 0.98, genetic association 0.86, somatic mutation 0.94, animal model 0.55). IntOGen calls it a driver in 4 cohorts (1 activating, 3 loss-of-function), covering Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: HNF1 homeobox A; Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-alpha; HNF1; LFB1; HNF1α; MODY3; TCF1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: HNF1A
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Transcriptional activator that regulates the tissue specific expression of multiple genes, especially in pancreatic islet cells and in liver. Binds to the inverted palindrome 5'-GTTAATNATTAAC-3'. Activates the transcription of CYP1A2, CYP2E1 and CYP3A11. Mechanistically, synergistically cooperates with NR5A2 to up-regulate the activity of one of the critical cis-elements in the hepatitis B virus genome enhancer II (ENII). Location: Nucleus (UniProt). Locus 12q24.31 (HGNC).
- Where found: Renal cell carcinoma: Open Targets association 0.66 with renal cell carcinoma (MONDO_0005086); IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PRCC); Hepatocellular carcinoma: Open Targets association 0.53 with hepatocellular carcinoma (MONDO_0007256); IntOGen driver in 3 cohorts (HCC); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.58 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Ovarian cancer: Open Targets association 0.56 with ovarian cancer (MONDO_0008170); Colorectal cancer: Open Targets association 0.55 with colorectal cancer (MONDO_0005575); Lung cancer: Open Targets association 0.53 with lung cancer (MONDO_0008903)

## 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 an activating (Act) driver in 1 cohort; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 3 cohorts. Evidence tier "cohort-driver" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:11621: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:11621
- UniProt P20823: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P20823/entry
- NCBI Gene 6927: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/6927
- Ensembl ENSG00000135100: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000135100

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/), [Hepatocellular carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/hcc/), [Lung cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-cancer/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/ovarian/), [Papillary renal cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/papillary-rcc/), [Renal cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/rcc/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/hnf1a.json