# KRT5

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/krt5/  
OnCo record `krt5` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

KRT5 (Keratin, type II cytoskeletal 5) is a gene. In the public catalogues the evidence so far is association rather than a proven role. Tied to Skin cancer and Basal cell carcinoma.

## Summary

Structural component of intermediate filaments in basal keratinocytes of stratified epithelia. Forms heteropolymers with type I partners including KRT14 and KRT15, contributing to the formation of the keratin intermediate filament network that provides mechanical stability and resilience to the basal layer of the epidermis. Regulates the recruitment of Langerhans cells to the epidermis, potentially by modulation of the abundance of macrophage chemotactic cytokines, macrophage inflammatory cytokines and CTNND1 localisation in keratinocytes.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.59 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.98, animal model 0.42, genetic association 0.73).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: keratin 5; Keratin, type II cytoskeletal 5; KRT5A; CK-5; EBS2
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: KRT5
- Class: other
- Biology: Structural component of intermediate filaments in basal keratinocytes of stratified epithelia. Forms heteropolymers with type I partners including KRT14 and KRT15, contributing to the formation of the keratin intermediate filament network that provides mechanical stability and resilience to the basal layer of the epidermis. Regulates the recruitment of Langerhans cells to the epidermis, potentially by modulation of the abundance of macrophage chemotactic cytokines, macrophage inflammatory cytokines and CTNND1 localisation in keratinocytes. Location: Cytoplasm (UniProt). Locus 12q13.13 (HGNC).
- Where found: Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.56 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Basal cell carcinoma: Open Targets association 0.56 with basal cell carcinoma (MONDO_0020804)

## 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: none stated by the sources. Evidence tier "association-only" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:6442: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:6442
- UniProt P13647: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P13647/entry
- NCBI Gene 3852: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3852
- Ensembl ENSG00000186081: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000186081

## Connected records

- collections: [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Basal cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/basal-cell-carcinoma/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/krt5.json