{"entity":{"id":"picalm","kind":"target","name":"PICALM","aka":["phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin assembly protein","Phosphatidylinositol-binding clathrin assembly protein"],"tldr":"PICALM (Phosphatidylinositol-binding clathrin assembly protein) is a gene whose normal job is to hold cell growth in check. The public catalogues list it as a tumour suppressor and a fusion partner, and it is called a cancer driver by mutation analysis of patient cohorts. Tied to Thyroid cancer and Papillary thyroid cancer.","summary":"Cytoplasmic adapter protein that plays a critical role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis which is important in processes such as internalisation of cell receptors, synaptic transmission or removal of apoptotic cells. Recruits AP-2 and attaches clathrin triskelions to the cytoplasmic side of plasma membrane leading to clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) assembly. Furthermore, regulates clathrin-coated vesicle size and maturation by directly sensing and driving membrane curvature.\n\nIntOGen calls it a driver in 1 cohort (0 activating, 1 loss-of-function), covering Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.","asOf":"2026-09-23","links":[{"label":"HGNC HGNC:15514","url":"https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:15514"},{"label":"UniProt Q13492","url":"https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q13492/entry"},{"label":"NCBI Gene 8301","url":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8301"},{"label":"Ensembl ENSG00000073921","url":"https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000073921"}],"tags":["cancer-genes-wave"],"related":["intogen"],"cancers":["thyroid","papillary-thyroid-cancer"],"sections":[],"technologies":[],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"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 a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 1 cohort; 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."],"provenance":{"editedBy":"scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts (CIViC, Open Targets, IntOGen, HGNC, UniProt)","editedOn":"2026-09-23"},"symbol":"PICALM","role":["tumour-suppressor","fusion-partner"],"evidenceTier":"cohort-driver","sources":[{"label":"HGNC HGNC:15514","url":"https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:15514","note":"approved symbol, name, aliases, locus and cross-references (hgnc_complete_set.txt)"},{"label":"UniProt Q13492","url":"https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q13492/entry","note":"protein name, function text, keywords and locations (REST API)"},{"label":"IntOGen PICALM","url":"https://www.intogen.org/search?gene=PICALM","note":"driver in 1 cohort (Act 0, LoF 1); Compendium_Cancer_Genes.tsv release 20240920, CC0 1.0"}],"hgnc":"HGNC:15514","ensembl":"ENSG00000073921","uniprot":"Q13492","entrez":"8301","biology":"Cytoplasmic adapter protein that plays a critical role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis which is important in processes such as internalisation of cell receptors, synaptic transmission or removal of apoptotic cells. Recruits AP-2 and attaches clathrin triskelions to the cytoplasmic side of plasma membrane leading to clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) assembly. Furthermore, regulates clathrin-coated vesicle size and maturation by directly sensing and driving membrane curvature. In addition to binding to clathrin, mediates the endocytosis of small R-SNARES (Soluble NSF Attachment Protein REceptors) between plasma membranes and endosomes including VAMP2, VAMP3, VAMP4, VAMP7 or VAMP8. In turn, PICALM-dependent SNARE endocytosis is required for the formation and maturation of autophagic precursors. Modulates thereby autophagy and the turnover of autophagy substrates such as MAPT/TAU or amyloid precursor protein cleaved C-terminal fragment (APP-CTF). Location: Cell membrane; Membrane, clathrin-coated pit; Golgi apparatus; Cytoplasmic vesicle, clathrin-coated vesicle (UniProt). Locus 11q14.2 (HGNC).","whereFound":["Thyroid cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (WDTC)","Papillary thyroid cancer: IntOGen driver in 1 cohort (WDTC)"],"targetClass":"tumor-suppressor","prevalence":[]},"route":"/targets/picalm/","neighbours":{"collection":[{"id":"intogen","kind":"collection","name":"IntOGen","route":"/collections/intogen/"}],"cancer":[{"id":"papillary-thyroid-cancer","kind":"cancer","name":"Papillary thyroid cancer","route":"/cancers/papillary-thyroid-cancer/"},{"id":"thyroid","kind":"cancer","name":"Thyroid cancer","route":"/cancers/thyroid/"}]}}