# PAX5

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/pax5/  
OnCo record `pax5` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

PAX5 (Paired box protein Pax-5) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver, a tumour suppressor, a biomarker and a fusion partner, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Leukaemia, Breast cancer and 5 more.

## Summary

Transcription factor that plays an essential role in commitment of lymphoid progenitors to the B-lymphocyte lineage. Fulfills a dual role by repressing B-lineage inappropriate genes and simultaneously activating B-lineage-specific genes. In turn, regulates cell adhesion and migration, induces V(H)-to-D(H)J(H) recombination, facilitates pre-B-cell receptor signalling and promotes development to the mature B-cell stage.

CIViC holds 5 clinical evidence items and 1 assertion across 2 variants. Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.71 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.98, animal model 0.27, genetic association 0.45, somatic mutation 0.83). IntOGen calls it a driver in 2 cohorts (1 activating, 1 loss-of-function), covering Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, NOS, Prostate Adenocarcinoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: paired box 5; Paired box protein Pax-5; PAX-5
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: PAX5
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Transcription factor that plays an essential role in commitment of lymphoid progenitors to the B-lymphocyte lineage. Fulfills a dual role by repressing B-lineage inappropriate genes and simultaneously activating B-lineage-specific genes. In turn, regulates cell adhesion and migration, induces V(H)-to-D(H)J(H) recombination, facilitates pre-B-cell receptor signalling and promotes development to the mature B-cell stage. Repression of the cohesin-release factor WAPL causes global changes of the chromosomal architecture in pro-B cells to facilitate the generation of a diverse antibody repertoire. Also participates in the inhibition of lytic EBV reactivation by modulating viral BZLF1 activity. Location: Nucleus (UniProt). Locus 9p13.2 (HGNC).
- Where found: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Open Targets association 0.71 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MONDO_0018908); Leukaemia: Open Targets association 0.69 with leukaemia (MONDO_0005059); Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.61 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.57 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Prostate cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PRAD); Lung cancer: Open Targets association 0.54 with lung cancer (MONDO_0008903)

## 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 1 cohort; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 1 cohort; CIViC holds 5 clinical evidence items on its variants; UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "clinical-evidence" 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: B-lymphoblastic Leukaemia With PAX5 P.P80R.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:8619: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:8619
- UniProt Q02548: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q02548/entry
- NCBI Gene 5079: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/5079
- Ensembl ENSG00000196092: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000196092

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/), [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/all-leukemia/), [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/dlbcl/), [Leukaemia (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/leukaemia/), [Lung cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-cancer/), [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/), [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/pax5.json