# USP8

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/usp8/  
OnCo record `usp8` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

USP8 (Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 8) is a gene that drives cell growth when it is altered. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Hepatocellular carcinoma, Multiple myeloma, Breast cancer and 1 more.

## Summary

Hydrolase that can remove conjugated ubiquitin from proteins and therefore plays an important regulatory role at the level of protein turnover by preventing degradation. Converts both 'Lys-48' an 'Lys-63'-linked ubiquitin chains. Catalytic activity is enhanced in the M phase.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.66 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.98, genetic association 0.00, somatic mutation 0.85). IntOGen calls it a driver in 3 cohorts (3 activating, 0 loss-of-function), covering Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Plasma Cell Myeloma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: ubiquitin specific peptidase 8; Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 8; HumORF8; KIAA0055; SPG59
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: USP8
- Class: oncogene
- Biology: Hydrolase that can remove conjugated ubiquitin from proteins and therefore plays an important regulatory role at the level of protein turnover by preventing degradation. Converts both 'Lys-48' an 'Lys-63'-linked ubiquitin chains. Catalytic activity is enhanced in the M phase. Involved in cell proliferation. Required to enter into S phase in response to serum stimulation. May regulate T-cell anergy mediated by RNF128 via the formation of a complex containing RNF128 and OTUB1. Location: Cytoplasm; Nucleus; Endosome membrane; Cell membrane (UniProt). Locus 15q21.2 (HGNC).
- Where found: Hepatocellular carcinoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (HCC); Multiple myeloma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PCM); Breast cancer: Open Targets association 0.53 with breast cancer (MONDO_0007254); Non-small-cell lung cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (LUSC)

## 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 3 cohorts. Evidence tier "cohort-driver" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:12631: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:12631
- UniProt P40818: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P40818/entry
- NCBI Gene 9101: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/9101
- Ensembl ENSG00000138592: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000138592

## 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/), [Hepatocellular carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/hcc/), [Multiple myeloma](https://onco.cc/cancers/multiple-myeloma/), [Non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/nsclc/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/usp8.json