# IRAK1

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/irak1/  
OnCo record `irak1` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

IRAK1 (Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1) is a protein kinase, an enzyme that switches other proteins on by adding phosphate groups. The public catalogues list it as a drug target and a tumour suppressor, and an approved or late-stage drug is recorded against it. Tied to Myeloproliferative neoplasms and Multiple myeloma.

## Summary

Serine/threonine-protein kinase that plays a critical role in initiating innate immune response against foreign pathogens. Involved in Toll-like receptor (TLR) and IL-1R signalling pathways. Is rapidly recruited by MYD88 to the receptor-signalling complex upon TLR activation.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.66 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.98, genetic association 0.00, somatic mutation 0.61, clinical 0.91). IntOGen calls it a driver in 1 cohort (0 activating, 1 loss-of-function), covering Plasma Cell Myeloma. In OnCo, 1 product record names it (Pacritinib).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: interleukin 1 receptor associated kinase 1; Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1; pelle
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: IRAK1
- Class: kinase
- Biology: Serine/threonine-protein kinase that plays a critical role in initiating innate immune response against foreign pathogens. Involved in Toll-like receptor (TLR) and IL-1R signalling pathways. Is rapidly recruited by MYD88 to the receptor-signalling complex upon TLR activation. Association with MYD88 leads to IRAK1 phosphorylation by IRAK4 and subsequent autophosphorylation and kinase activation. Phosphorylates E3 ubiquitin ligases Pellino proteins (PELI1, PELI2 and PELI3) to promote pellino-mediated polyubiquitination of IRAK1. Then, the ubiquitin-binding domain of IKBKG/NEMO binds to polyubiquitinated IRAK1 bringing together the IRAK1-MAP3K7/TAK1-TRAF6 complex and the NEMO-IKKA-IKKB complex. Location: Cytoplasm; Nucleus; Lipid droplet (UniProt). Locus Xq28 (HGNC).
- Where found: Myeloproliferative neoplasms: Open Targets association 0.58 with myeloproliferative neoplasm (MONDO_0020076); Multiple myeloma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PCM)

## 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: Open Targets known-drug datatype score 0.91; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 1 cohort. Evidence tier "approved-drug" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:6112: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:6112
- UniProt P51617: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P51617/entry
- NCBI Gene 3654: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3654
- Ensembl ENSG00000184216: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000184216

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Multiple myeloma](https://onco.cc/cancers/multiple-myeloma/), [Myeloproliferative neoplasms (PV, ET, myelofibrosis)](https://onco.cc/cancers/myeloproliferative-neoplasms/)
- drugs: [Pacritinib](https://onco.cc/drugs/pacritinib/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/irak1.json