# MGA

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

## TL;DR

MGA (MAX gene-associated protein) is a gene whose normal job is to hold cell growth in check. The public catalogues list it as a tumour suppressor and a biomarker, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Mesothelioma, Prostate cancer, Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and 3 more.

## Summary

Functions as a dual-specificity transcription factor, regulating the expression of both MAX-network and T-box family target genes. Functions as a repressor or an activator. Binds to 5'-AATTTCACACCTAGGTGTGAAATT-3' core sequence and seems to regulate MYC-MAX target genes.

CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence item and 0 assertions across 1 variant. IntOGen calls it a driver in 5 cohorts (0 activating, 5 loss-of-function), covering Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma, Lung Adenocarcinoma, Pleural Mesothelioma, Prostate Adenocarcinoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: MAX dimerization protein MGA; MAX gene-associated protein; KIAA0518; MAD5; MXD5; FLJ12634
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: MGA
- Class: tumor-suppressor
- Biology: Functions as a dual-specificity transcription factor, regulating the expression of both MAX-network and T-box family target genes. Functions as a repressor or an activator. Binds to 5'-AATTTCACACCTAGGTGTGAAATT-3' core sequence and seems to regulate MYC-MAX target genes. Suppresses transcriptional activation by MYC and inhibits MYC-dependent cell transformation. Function activated by heterodimerisation with MAX. This heterodimerisation serves the dual function of both generating an E-box-binding heterodimer and simultaneously blocking interaction of a corepressor. Location: Nucleus (UniProt). Locus 15q15 (HGNC).
- Where found: Mesothelioma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PLMESO); Prostate cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PRAD); Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: CIViC evidence names this disease; Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: IntOGen driver in 2 cohorts (CLLSLL); Non-small-cell lung cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (LUAD); Pleural mesothelioma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PLMESO)

## 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 a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 5 cohorts; CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence items on its variants. Evidence tier "clinical-evidence" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:14010: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:14010
- UniProt Q8IWI9: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q8IWI9/entry
- NCBI Gene 23269: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/23269
- Ensembl ENSG00000174197: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000174197

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/), [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/)
- cancers: [Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/cll/), [Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/dlbcl/), [Mesothelioma](https://onco.cc/cancers/mesothelioma/), [Non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/nsclc/), [Pleural mesothelioma](https://onco.cc/cancers/pleural-mesothelioma/), [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/)

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