| HGNC Family | Basic helix-loop-helix proteins (BHLH) |
| Name | achaete-scute family bHLH transcription factor 4 |
| Description | Basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, such as ASCL4, are essential for the determination of cell fate and the development and differentiation of numerous tissues (Jonsson et al., 2004 [PubMed 15475265]).[supplied by OMIM, Mar 2008] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Emerging evidence indicates that ASCL4‐related molecules play multifaceted roles in regulating both lipid metabolism and cell fate. In several cancers, a critical enzyme—acyl‐CoA synthetase long‐chain family member 4 (ACSL4), which is frequently referenced in the literature and at times denoted as ASCL4—facilitates the incorporation of long polyunsaturated fatty acids into phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). This modification predisposes cell membranes to lipid peroxidation and triggers ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death implicated in antitumor responses and therapeutic resistance."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " In estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer cells, for example, heightened ACSL4 expression stabilizes the protein and promotes the uptake of exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids, which supports increased cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion while modulating key signaling pathways such as Akt and GSK3β."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "2"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Similarly, in prostate cancer, ACSL4 drives malignancy by reprogramming lipid metabolism and contributing to resistance against chemotherapeutic agents like docetaxel."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Moreover, in the context of radioresistant breast cancer, suppression of ACSL4 (via targeted siRNA or pharmacological inhibition) has been shown to disrupt the downstream FOXM1 pathway and enhance tumor cell sensitivity to irradiation."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In a distinct line of investigation, a fourth member of the achaete‐scute complex gene family—referred to as Hash4 or ASCL4—has been cloned and characterized with strikingly restricted expression in skin. This isoform, displaying a seven–fold higher expression in fetal compared with adult skin, suggests a unique role in skin development and differentiation."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "6"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Collectively, these studies underscore the dual significance of ASCL4‐related genes: one facet modulates lipid remodeling through the regulation of PE composition, thereby influencing ferroptotic cell death and tumor aggressiveness, while another is implicated in tissue‐specific developmental processes. Such insights offer promising avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting lipid metabolic reprogramming and cell death pathways in diverse clinical settings.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Caitlin W Brown, John J Amante, Hira Lal Goel, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "The α6β4 integrin promotes resistance to ferroptosis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Cell Biol (2017)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1083/jcb.201701136"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201701136"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "28972104"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28972104"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Anissa Belkaid, Rodney J Ouellette, Marc E Surette "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "17β-estradiol-induced ACSL4 protein expression promotes an invasive phenotype in estrogen receptor positive mammary carcinoma cells."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Carcinogenesis (2017)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1093/carcin/bgx020"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgx020"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "28334272"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28334272"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xingkang Jiang, Shanqi Guo, Yangyi Zhang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "LncRNA NEAT1 promotes docetaxel resistance in prostate cancer by regulating ACSL4 via sponging miR-34a-5p and miR-204-5p."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cell Signal (2020)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.cellsig.2019.109422"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cellsig.2019.109422"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "31672604"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31672604"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xinyu Wu, Fangming Deng, Yirong Li, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "ACSL4 promotes prostate cancer growth, invasion and hormonal resistance."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Oncotarget (2015)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.18632/oncotarget.6438"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.6438"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "26636648"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26636648"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Yun-Suk Kwon, Min-Gu Lee, Junyoung Baek, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Acyl-CoA synthetase-4 mediates radioresistance of breast cancer cells by regulating FOXM1."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biochem Pharmacol (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114718"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114718"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34358518"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34358518"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Marianne Jonsson, Elisabeth Björntorp Mark, Camilla Brantsing, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Hash4, a novel human achaete-scute homologue found in fetal skin."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Genomics (2004)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.ygeno.2004.07.004"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2004.07.004"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15475265"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15475265"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | HASH4, BHLHA44 |
| Proteins | ASCL4_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 121549 |
| API | |
| Download Associations | |
| Predicted Functions |
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| Co-expressed Genes |
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| Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines |
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ASCL4 has 1,940 functional associations with biological entities spanning 8 categories (molecular profile, organism, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, chemical, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 68 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for ASCL4 from the datasets below.
If available, associations are ranked by standardized value
| Dataset | Summary | |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray | tissue samples with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of ASCL4 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of ASCL4 gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of ASCL4 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 | transcription factors binding the promoter of ASCL4 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset. | |
| CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas | gene perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components containing ASCL4 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components co-occuring with ASCL4 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of ASCL4 gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with ASCL4 gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency | cell lines with fitness changed by ASCL4 gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset. | |
| DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases associated with ASCL4 gene in GWAS datasets from the DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores | diseases co-occuring with ASCL4 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases co-occuring with ASCL4 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at ASCL4 gene from the ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of ASCL4 gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of ASCL4 gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with ASCL4 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations | biological terms co-occuring with ASCL4 gene in literature-supported statements describing functions of genes from the GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations | kinase perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules | small molecule perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections | virus perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 | biological processes involving ASCL4 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 | biological processes involving ASCL4 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 | biological processes involving ASCL4 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 | cellular components containing ASCL4 protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 | molecular functions performed by ASCL4 gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 | molecular functions performed by ASCL4 gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 | molecular functions performed by ASCL4 gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 | tissues with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 dataset. | |
| GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 | phenotypes associated with ASCL4 gene in GWAS datasets from the GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset. | |
| Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other cell lines from the Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of ASCL4 protein relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| IMPC Knockout Mouse Phenotypes | phenotypes of mice caused by ASCL4 gene knockout from the IMPC Knockout Mouse Phenotypes dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for ASCL4 protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of ASCL4 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of ASCL4 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Mouse Transcription Factor Targets 2025 dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of ASCL4 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of ASCL4 gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations | cellular components predicted to contain ASCL4 protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset. | |
| MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 | phenotypes of transgenic mice caused by ASCL4 gene mutations from the MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of ASCL4 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions | interacting proteins for ASCL4 from the Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Mouse Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 | pathways involving ASCL4 protein from the PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2024 | pathways involving ASCL4 protein from the Wikipathways PFOCR 2024 dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low DNA methylation of ASCL4 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at ASCL4 gene from the Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 | transcription factors regulating expression of ASCL4 gene from the Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of ASCL4 gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Sanger Dependency Map Cancer Cell Line Proteomics | cell lines associated with ASCL4 protein from the Sanger Dependency Map Cancer Cell Line Proteomics dataset. | |
| Tabula Sapiens Gene-Cell Associations | cell types with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other cell types from the Tabula Sapiens Gene-Cell Associations dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of ASCL4 gene predicted using conserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of ASCL4 gene predicted using nonconserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors | tissue samples with high or low expression of ASCL4 gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of ASCL4 protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of ASCL4 protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of ASCL4 protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with ASCL4 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
