# ZNF521

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/znf521/  
OnCo record `znf521` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

ZNF521 (Zinc finger protein 521) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as an oncogene driver, a tumour suppressor and a fusion partner, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, Oesophageal cancer, Cervical cancer and 5 more.

## Summary

Transcription factor that can both act as an activator or a repressor depending on the context. Involved in BMP signalling and in the regulation of the immature compartment of the haematopoietic system. Associates with SMADs in response to BMP2 leading to activate transcription of BMP target genes.

Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.69 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes literature 0.91, genetic association 0.24, somatic mutation 0.87). IntOGen calls it a driver in 9 cohorts (5 activating, 4 loss-of-function), covering Cervical Adenocarcinoma, Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and others.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: zinc finger protein 521; Zinc finger protein 521; Evi3
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: ZNF521
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Transcription factor that can both act as an activator or a repressor depending on the context. Involved in BMP signalling and in the regulation of the immature compartment of the haematopoietic system. Associates with SMADs in response to BMP2 leading to activate transcription of BMP target genes. Acts as a transcriptional repressor via its interaction with EBF1, a transcription factor involved specification of B-cell lineage; this interaction preventing EBF1 to bind DNA and activate target genes. Location: Nucleus (UniProt). Locus 18q11.2 (HGNC).
- Where found: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: IntOGen driver in 2 cohorts (PAAD, PANCREAS); Oesophageal cancer: Open Targets association 0.51 with oesophageal cancer (MONDO_0007576); IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (ESCA); Cervical cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (CEAD); Hepatocellular carcinoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (HCC); Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (NPC); Ovarian cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (OVT)

## 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 5 cohorts; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 4 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:24605: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:24605
- UniProt Q96K83: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q96K83/entry
- NCBI Gene 25925: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/25925
- Ensembl ENSG00000198795: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000198795

## Connected records

- collections: [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Cervical cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/cervical/), [Hepatocellular carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/hcc/), [Lung cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lung-cancer/), [Nasopharyngeal carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/nasopharyngeal/), [Oesophageal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/esophageal/), [Ovarian cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/ovarian/), [Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/pancreatic/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/znf521.json