# PLAG1

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/plag1/  
OnCo record `plag1` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

PLAG1 (Zinc finger protein PLAG1) is a gene that drives cell growth when it is altered. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver and a fusion partner, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Breast cancer, Melanoma and Oral cavity cancer.

## Summary

Transcription factor whose activation results in up-regulation of target genes, such as IGFII, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation: when overexpressed in cultured cells, higher proliferation rate and transformation are observed. Other target genes such as CRLF1, CRABP2, CRIP2, PIGF are strongly induced in cells with PLAG1 induction. Proto-oncogene whose ectopic expression can trigger the development of pleomorphic adenomas of the salivary gland and lipoblastomas.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.69 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.92, genetic association 0.33, somatic mutation 0.87). IntOGen calls it a driver in 2 cohorts (2 activating, 0 loss-of-function), covering Invasive Breast Carcinoma, Cutaneous Melanoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: PLAG1 zinc finger; Zinc finger protein PLAG1; ZNF912
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: PLAG1
- Class: oncogene
- Biology: Transcription factor whose activation results in up-regulation of target genes, such as IGFII, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation: when overexpressed in cultured cells, higher proliferation rate and transformation are observed. Other target genes such as CRLF1, CRABP2, CRIP2, PIGF are strongly induced in cells with PLAG1 induction. Proto-oncogene whose ectopic expression can trigger the development of pleomorphic adenomas of the salivary gland and lipoblastomas. Overexpression is associated with up-regulation of IGFII, is frequently observed in hepatoblastoma, common primary liver tumour in childhood. Cooperates with CBFB-MYH11, a fusion gene important for myeloid leukaemia. Location: Nucleus (UniProt). Locus 8q12.1 (HGNC).
- Where found: Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.57 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (BRCA); Melanoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (SKCM); Oral cavity cancer: Open Targets association 0.52 with oral cavity cancer (MONDO_0005515)

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

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:9045: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:9045
- UniProt Q6DJT9: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q6DJT9/entry
- NCBI Gene 5324: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/5324
- Ensembl ENSG00000181690: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000181690

## 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/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Oral cavity cancer (mouth and tongue)](https://onco.cc/cancers/oral-cavity-cancer/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/plag1.json