# WT1

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/wt1/  
OnCo record `wt1` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

WT1 (Wilms tumour protein) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as a drug target, 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 Leukaemia, Mesothelioma, Myeloproliferative neoplasms and 5 more.

## Summary

Transcription factor that plays an important role in cellular development and cell survival. Recognises and binds to the DNA sequence 5'-GCG(T/G)GGGCG-3'. Regulates the expression of numerous target genes, including EPO.

CIViC holds 12 clinical evidence items and 0 assertions across 3 variants, naming Daunorubicin and Cytarabine. Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.90 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes clinical 0.63, genetic literature 0.90, affected pathway 0.36, literature 1.00, genetic association 0.91, somatic mutation 0.89, animal model 0.68). IntOGen calls it a driver in 4 cohorts (1 activating, 3 loss-of-function), covering Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Melanoma, Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. In OnCo, 1 product record names it (INO-5401).

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: WT1 transcription factor; Wilms tumor protein; WIT-2; AWT1; NPHS4; WT-1
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: WT1
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Transcription factor that plays an important role in cellular development and cell survival. Recognises and binds to the DNA sequence 5'-GCG(T/G)GGGCG-3'. Regulates the expression of numerous target genes, including EPO. Plays an essential role for development of the urogenital system. It has a tumour suppressor as well as an oncogenic role in tumour formation. Function may be isoform-specific: isoforms lacking the KTS motif may act as transcription factors. Location: Nucleus; Nucleus, nucleolus; Cytoplasm; Nucleus speckle (UniProt). Locus 11p13 (HGNC).
- Where found: Leukaemia: Open Targets association 0.72 with leukaemia (MONDO_0005059); Mesothelioma: Open Targets association 0.69 with malignant mesothelioma (MONDO_0006292); Myeloproliferative neoplasms: Open Targets association 0.68 with myeloproliferative neoplasm (MONDO_0020076); Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Open Targets association 0.60 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MONDO_0018908); Sarcomas: Open Targets association 0.59 with sarcoma (MONDO_0005089); Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (PAAD)

## 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: Open Targets known-drug datatype score 0.63; IntOGen calls it an activating (Act) driver in 1 cohort; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 3 cohorts; CIViC holds 12 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.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:12796: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:12796
- UniProt P19544: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P19544/entry
- NCBI Gene 7490: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/7490
- Ensembl ENSG00000184937: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000184937

## 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 myeloid leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/aml/), [Leukaemia (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/leukaemia/), [Mesothelioma](https://onco.cc/cancers/mesothelioma/), [Myeloproliferative neoplasms (PV, ET, myelofibrosis)](https://onco.cc/cancers/myeloproliferative-neoplasms/), [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/), [Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/pancreatic/), [Sarcomas (soft tissue, bone, GIST)](https://onco.cc/cancers/sarcoma/), [Wilms tumour (nephroblastoma)](https://onco.cc/cancers/wilms-tumor/)
- drugs: [INO-5401](https://onco.cc/drugs/ino-5401/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/wt1.json