# MAX

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

## TL;DR

MAX (MYC associated transcriptional regulator X) 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 Neuroendocrine tumours, Multiple myeloma, Endometrial cancer and 5 more.

## Summary

Transcription regulator. Forms a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein complex with MYC or MAD which recognises the core sequence 5'-CAC[GA]TG-3'. The MYC:MAX complex is a transcriptional activator, whereas the MAD:MAX complex is a repressor.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.74 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.89, genetic association 0.17, somatic mutation 0.95). IntOGen calls it a driver in 10 cohorts (7 activating, 3 loss-of-function), covering Invasive Breast Carcinoma, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour, Low-Grade Glioma, NOS, Medulloblastoma, Pilocytic Astrocytoma, Plasma Cell Myeloma and others.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: MYC associated transcriptional regulator X; bHLHd4; bHLHd5; bHLHd6; bHLHd7; bHLHd8
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: MAX
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Transcription regulator. Forms a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein complex with MYC or MAD which recognises the core sequence 5'-CAC[GA]TG-3'. The MYC:MAX complex is a transcriptional activator, whereas the MAD:MAX complex is a repressor. May repress transcription via the recruitment of a chromatin remodeling complex containing H3 'Lys-9' histone methyltransferase activity. Represses MYC transcriptional activity from E-box elements. Location: Nucleus; Cell projection, dendrite (UniProt). Locus 14q23.3 (HGNC).
- Where found: Neuroendocrine tumours: Open Targets association 0.76 with neuroendocrine neoplasm (MONDO_0019496); Multiple myeloma: Open Targets association 0.51 with plasma cell myeloma (MONDO_0009693); IntOGen driver in 2 cohorts (PCM); Endometrial cancer: IntOGen driver in 2 cohorts (UCEC); Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.55 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (BRCA); Small intestine cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (SIC); Colorectal cancer: Open Targets association 0.53 with colorectal cancer (MONDO_0005575)

## 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 7 cohorts; 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.
- Diseases the sources name that have no OnCo cancer page yet, so they are not linked: Low-Grade Glioma, NOS.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:6913: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:6913
- UniProt P61244: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P61244/entry
- NCBI Gene 4149: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4149
- Ensembl ENSG00000125952: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000125952

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/), [Endometrial cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/endometrial/), [Gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST)](https://onco.cc/cancers/gist/), [Multiple myeloma](https://onco.cc/cancers/multiple-myeloma/), [Neuroendocrine tumours](https://onco.cc/cancers/neuroendocrine/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/), [Small intestine cancer (small bowel adenocarcinoma)](https://onco.cc/cancers/small-bowel/)
- pathways: [MYC](https://onco.cc/pathways/myc/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/max.json