# LCK

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

## TL;DR

LCK (Tyrosine-protein kinase Lck) 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 fusion partner, and an approved or late-stage drug is recorded against it. Tied to Leukaemia, Renal cell carcinoma, Myeloproliferative neoplasms and 5 more.

## Summary

Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays an essential role in the selection and maturation of developing T-cells in the thymus and in the function of mature T-cells. Plays a key role in T-cell antigen receptor (TCR)-linked signal transduction pathways. Constitutively associated with the cytoplasmic portions of the CD4 and CD8 surface receptors.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.81 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes clinical 0.98, affected pathway 0.92, literature 0.95, genetic association 0.00, somatic mutation 0.97).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: LCK proto-oncogene, Src family tyrosine kinase; Tyrosine-protein kinase Lck
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: LCK
- Class: kinase
- Biology: Non-receptor tyrosine-protein kinase that plays an essential role in the selection and maturation of developing T-cells in the thymus and in the function of mature T-cells. Plays a key role in T-cell antigen receptor (TCR)-linked signal transduction pathways. Constitutively associated with the cytoplasmic portions of the CD4 and CD8 surface receptors. Association of the TCR with a peptide antigen-bound MHC complex facilitates the interaction of CD4 and CD8 with MHC class II and class I molecules, respectively, thereby recruiting the associated LCK protein to the vicinity of the TCR-CD3 complex. LCK then phosphorylates tyrosine residues within the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAM) of the cytoplasmic tails of the TCR-gamma chains and CD3 subunits, initiating the TCR-CD3 signalling pathway. Once stimulated, the TCR recruits the tyrosine kinase ZAP70, that becomes phosphorylated and activated by LCK. Location: Cell membrane; Cytoplasm, cytosol (UniProt). Locus 1p35.2 (HGNC).
- Where found: Leukaemia: Open Targets association 0.69 with leukaemia (MONDO_0005059); Renal cell carcinoma: Open Targets association 0.67 with renal cell carcinoma (MONDO_0005086); Myeloproliferative neoplasms: Open Targets association 0.66 with myeloproliferative neoplasm (MONDO_0020076); Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Open Targets association 0.64 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MONDO_0018908); Sarcomas: Open Targets association 0.62 with sarcoma (MONDO_0005089); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.57 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898)

## 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 0.98; UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "approved-drug" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:6524: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:6524
- UniProt P06239: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P06239/entry
- NCBI Gene 3932: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3932
- Ensembl ENSG00000182866: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000182866

## Connected records

- collections: [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/all-leukemia/), [Leukaemia (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/leukaemia/), [Myeloproliferative neoplasms (PV, ET, myelofibrosis)](https://onco.cc/cancers/myeloproliferative-neoplasms/), [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/), [Ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/ovarian/), [Renal cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/rcc/), [Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST)](https://onco.cc/cancers/sarcoma/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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