# KIF5B

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/kif5b/  
OnCo record `kif5b` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

KIF5B (Kinesin-1 heavy chain) is a gene that drives cell growth when it is altered. The public catalogues list it as a drug target and an oncogene driver, and an approved or late-stage drug is recorded against it. Tied to Lung cancer, Thyroid cancer, Neuroendocrine tumours and 2 more.

## Summary

Microtubule-dependent motor required for normal distribution of mitochondria and lysosomes. Can induce formation of neurite-like membrane protrusions in non-neuronal cells in a ZFYVE27-dependent manner. Regulates centrosome and nuclear positioning during mitotic entry.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.81 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes clinical 0.97, affected pathway 0.93, literature 0.91, genetic association 0.00, somatic mutation 0.82). IntOGen calls it a driver in 1 cohort (1 activating, 0 loss-of-function), covering Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: kinesin family member 5B; Kinesin-1 heavy chain; uKHC; KNS1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: KIF5B
- Class: oncogene
- Biology: Microtubule-dependent motor required for normal distribution of mitochondria and lysosomes. Can induce formation of neurite-like membrane protrusions in non-neuronal cells in a ZFYVE27-dependent manner. Regulates centrosome and nuclear positioning during mitotic entry. During the G2 phase of the cell cycle in a BICD2-dependent manner, antagonises dynein function and drives the separation of nuclei and centrosomes. Required for anterograde axonal transportation of MAPK8IP3/JIP3 which is essential for MAPK8IP3/JIP3 function in axon elongation. Through binding with PLEKHM2 and ARL8B, directs lysosome movement toward microtubule plus ends. Location: Cytoplasm, cytoskeleton; Cytolytic granule membrane; Lysosome membrane (UniProt). Locus 10p11.22 (HGNC).
- Where found: Lung cancer: Open Targets association 0.73 with lung cancer (MONDO_0008903); Thyroid cancer: Open Targets association 0.64 with thyroid cancer (MONDO_0002108); Neuroendocrine tumours: Open Targets association 0.63 with neuroendocrine neoplasm (MONDO_0019496); Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (HNSC); Non-small-cell lung cancer: Open Targets association 0.72 with non-small cell lung carcinoma (MONDO_0005233)

## 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 0.97; IntOGen calls it an activating (Act) 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:6324: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:6324
- UniProt P33176: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P33176/entry
- NCBI Gene 3799: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3799
- Ensembl ENSG00000170759: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000170759

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/head-and-neck/), [Lung cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-cancer/), [Neuroendocrine tumours](https://onco.cc/cancers/neuroendocrine/), [Non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/nsclc/), [Thyroid cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/thyroid/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/kif5b.json