# RAC1

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/rac1/  
OnCo record `rac1` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

RAC1 (Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1) is a gene that drives cell growth when it is altered. The public catalogues list it as a drug target, an oncogene driver and a biomarker, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Skin cancer, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and Melanoma.

## Summary

Plasma membrane-associated small GTPase which cycles between active GTP-bound and inactive GDP-bound states. In its active state, binds to a variety of effector proteins to regulate cellular responses such as secretory processes, phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, epithelial cell polarisation, neurons adhesion, migration and differentiation, and growth-factor induced formation of membrane ruffles. Rac1 p21/rho GDI heterodimer is the active component of the cytosolic factor sigma 1, which is involved in stimulation of the NADPH oxidase activity in macrophages.

CIViC holds 3 clinical evidence items and 0 assertions across 1 variant, naming Vemurafenib, Dabrafenib and PLX4720. Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.78 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes affected pathway 0.59, literature 1.00, genetic association 0.32, somatic mutation 0.93, animal model 0.37). IntOGen calls it a driver in 5 cohorts (5 activating, 0 loss-of-function), covering Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Melanoma, Cutaneous Melanoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: Rac family small GTPase 1; Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1; TC-25; p21-Rac1; Rac-1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: RAC1
- Class: oncogene
- Biology: Plasma membrane-associated small GTPase which cycles between active GTP-bound and inactive GDP-bound states. In its active state, binds to a variety of effector proteins to regulate cellular responses such as secretory processes, phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, epithelial cell polarisation, neurons adhesion, migration and differentiation, and growth-factor induced formation of membrane ruffles. Rac1 p21/rho GDI heterodimer is the active component of the cytosolic factor sigma 1, which is involved in stimulation of the NADPH oxidase activity in macrophages. Essential for the SPATA13-mediated regulation of cell migration and adhesion assembly and disassembly. Stimulates PKN2 kinase activity. In concert with RAB7A, plays a role in regulating the formation of RBs (ruffled borders) in osteoclasts. Location: Cell membrane; Melanosome; Cytoplasm; Cell projection, lamellipodium (UniProt). Locus 7p22.1 (HGNC).
- Where found: Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.69 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (HNSC); Melanoma: Open Targets association 0.71 with melanoma (MONDO_0005105); CIViC evidence names this disease

## 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: CIViC lists 3 therapies; IntOGen calls it an activating (Act) driver in 5 cohorts; CIViC holds 3 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:9801: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:9801
- UniProt P63000: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P63000/entry
- NCBI Gene 5879: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/5879
- Ensembl ENSG00000136238: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000136238

## 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: [Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/head-and-neck/), [Melanoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/melanoma/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/rac1.json