MEOX1 Gene

HGNC Family	Homeoboxes
Name	mesenchyme homeobox 1
Description	This gene encodes a member of a subfamily of non-clustered, diverged, antennapedia-like homeobox-containing genes. The encoded protein may play a role in the molecular signaling network regulating somite development. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
Summary	{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nMEOX1 acts as a pivotal transcription factor in the modulation of fibroblast activation and tissue remodeling. In cardiac fibroblasts, an enhancer that dynamically regulates MEOX1 is activated by stress and TGF‑β signaling, driving a transcriptional program that promotes fibroblast activation and fibrotic remodeling; similar TGF‑β/Smad2/3‐driven regulation of MEOX1 has been shown to enhance cell migration in adult human dermal fibroblasts, contributing to processes such as scar formation."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "Heavily involved in developmental programs, MEOX1 is essential for somite formation and proper skeletal patterning. Homozygous truncating mutations in MEOX1 in humans cause Klippel‑Feil syndrome, a condition marked by cervical vertebral malformations, while studies in mice have underscored its nonredundant role during sclerotome development. Although sequencing in certain dysostosis cases did not reveal mutations, the phenotypic parallels with Meox1‐deficient animal models underscore its critical developmental function."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "3", "end_ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "In the realm of cancer, MEOX1 exhibits context‐dependent roles that span from oncogenic to tumor‐suppressive activities. In breast cancer, particularly in PTEN‑deficient trastuzumab‑resistant cells and triple‑negative subtypes, MEOX1 upregulation augments epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition, expands cancer stem cell populations, and correlates with poor patient outcomes; similarly, in ovarian cancer, MEOX1 functions as a critical cofactor of PBX1, mediating growth signals. Conversely, studies in non‑small cell lung cancer have reported conflicting roles—while one investigation associates high nuclear MEOX1 levels with enhanced proliferation and unfavorable prognosis, another demonstrates that forced overexpression can induce cell cycle arrest by directly repressing CCNB1, thereby suppressing tumor progression."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "6", "end_ref": "10"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "Beyond its roles in fibrosis, development, and cancer, MEOX1 also influences differentiation and immune regulation. During osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells, elevated MEOX1—released from microRNA‑mediated inhibition—supports osteoblast maturation, highlighting its importance in skeletal homeostasis. Moreover, genetic association studies have linked polymorphisms in the genomic region encompassing MEOX1 with asthma, and recent transcriptomic analyses of CD4+ T cells have uncovered prominent expression of MEOX1 in regulatory T cells, where it appears to cooperate with FOXP3 to sustain immunosuppressive functions."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "11", "end_ref": "13"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Michael Alexanian, Pawel F Przytycki, Rudi Micheletti, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "A transcriptional switch governs fibroblast activation in heart disease."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nature (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/s41586-021-03674-1"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03674-1"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34163071"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34163071"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Z Y Wei, H S Li, J Y Zhou, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "[Mechanism of transcriptional regulation of Meox1 by transforming growth factor β (1) and its effect on cell migration of adult human dermal fibroblasts]."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Zhonghua Shao Shang Za Zhi (2020)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.3760/cma.j.cn501120-20200109-00014"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.3760/cma.j.cn501120-20200109-00014"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "32241049"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32241049"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jawahir Y Mohamed, Eissa Faqeih, Abdulmonem Alsiddiky, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mutations in MEOX1, encoding mesenchyme homeobox 1, cause Klippel-Feil anomaly."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Am J Hum Genet (2013)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.11.016"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.11.016"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "23290072"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23290072"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Fatih Bayrakli, Bulent Guclu, Cengiz Yakicier, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mutation in MEOX1 gene causes a recessive Klippel-Feil syndrome subtype."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "BMC Genet (2013)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1186/1471-2156-14-95"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2156-14-95"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "24073994"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24073994"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nithiwat Vatanavicharn, John M Graham, Cynthia J Curry, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Diaphanospondylodysostosis: six new cases and exclusion of the candidate genes, PAX1 and MEOX1."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Am J Med Genet A (2007)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1002/ajmg.a.31934"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.a.31934"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "17764081"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17764081"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Lichao Sun, Joseph Burnett, Mari Gasparyan, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Novel cancer stem cell targets during epithelial to mesenchymal transition in PTEN-deficient trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Oncotarget (2016)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.18632/oncotarget.9839"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.9839"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "27285982"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27285982"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Michelle M Thiaville, Alexander Stoeck, Li Chen, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Identification of PBX1 target genes in cancer cells by global mapping of PBX1 binding sites."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "PLoS One (2012)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1371/journal.pone.0036054"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036054"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "22567123"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22567123"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mari Gasparyan, Miao-Chia Lo, Hui Jiang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Combined p53- and PTEN-deficiency activates expression of mesenchyme homeobox 1 (MEOX1) required for growth of triple-negative breast cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Biol Chem (2020)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1074/jbc.RA119.010710"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA119.010710"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "32467227"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32467227"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 9, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xie Xiao, Bi Rui, Hu Rui, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MEOX1 suppresses the progression of lung cancer cells by inhibiting the cell-cycle checkpoint gene CCNB1."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Environ Toxicol (2022)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1002/tox.23416"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.23416"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34837450"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34837450"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 10, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Lichao Sun, Hebao Yuan, Joseph Burnett, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MEOX1 Promotes Tumor Progression and Predicts Poor Prognosis in Human Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Int J Med Sci (2019)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.7150/ijms.27595"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.27595"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "30662330"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30662330"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 11, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Meng Huang, Xiaopeng Li, Guo Li "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mesenchyme homeobox 1 mediated-promotion of osteoblastic differentiation is negatively regulated by mir-3064-5p."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Differentiation (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.diff.2021.05.002"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2021.05.002"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34130045"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34130045"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 12, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Yohei Yatagai, Hisayuki Oshima, Tohru Sakamoto, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Expression quantitative trait loci for ETV4 and MEOX1 are associated with adult asthma in Japanese populations."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Sci Rep (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/s41598-021-98348-3"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-98348-3"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34552174"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34552174"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 13, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Kevin Baßler, Lisa Schmidleithner, Mehrnoush Hadaddzadeh Shakiba, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Identification of the novel FOXP3-dependent T"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "sub"}], "href": "sub"}, {"type": "t", "text": "reg"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "/sub"}], "href": "/sub"}, {"type": "t", "text": " cell transcription factor MEOX1 by high-dimensional analysis of human CD4"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "sup"}], "href": "sup"}, {"type": "t", "text": "+"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "/sup"}], "href": "/sup"}, {"type": "t", "text": " T cells."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Front Immunol (2023)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.3389/fimmu.2023.1107397"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1107397"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "37559728"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37559728"}]}]}]}
Synonyms	KFS2, MOX1
Proteins	MEOX1_HUMAN
NCBI Gene ID	4222
API
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Predicted Functions
Co-expressed Genes
Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines

Functional Associations

MEOX1 has 4,929 functional associations with biological entities spanning 8 categories (molecular profile, organism, chemical, disease, phenotype or trait, functional term, phrase or reference, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 106 datasets.

Click the + buttons to view associations for MEOX1 from the datasets below.

If available, associations are ranked by standardized value

Harmonizome 3.0

MEOX1 Gene

Functional Associations

Please acknowledge the Harmonizome in your publications by citing the following reference(s):

	Dataset	Summary
	Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of MEOX1 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles	tissue samples with high or low expression of MEOX1 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 MEOX1 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 MEOX1 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of MEOX1 gene relative to other cell lines from the BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of MEOX1 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of MEOX1 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures	small molecule perturbations changing expression of MEOX1 gene from the Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of MEOX1 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of MEOX1 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations	cell types associated with MEOX1 gene from the CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of MEOX1 gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of MEOX1 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 MEOX1 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset.
	ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations	phenotypes associated with MEOX1 gene from the curated ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations dataset.
	ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations 2025	phenotypes associated with MEOX1 gene from the curated ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset.
	CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas	gene perturbations changing expression of MEOX1 gene from the CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas dataset.
	CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules	small molecule perturbations changing expression of MEOX1 gene from the CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing MEOX1 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing MEOX1 protein in low- or high-throughput protein localization assays from the COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components containing MEOX1 protein in low- or high-throughput protein localization assays from the COMPARTMENTS Experimental Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components co-occuring with MEOX1 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components co-occuring with MEOX1 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 MEOX1 gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles	cell lines with MEOX1 gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
	CTD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with MEOX1 gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	dbGAP Gene-Trait Associations	traits associated with MEOX1 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the dbGAP Gene-Trait Associations dataset.
	DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency	cell lines with fitness changed by MEOX1 gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset.
	DISEASES Curated Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases involving MEOX1 gene from the DISEASES Curated Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases associated with MEOX1 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 MEOX1 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 MEOX1 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with MEOX1 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations	phenotypes associated with MEOX1 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Phenoptype Associations dataset.
	ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles	histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at MEOX1 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 MEOX1 gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of MEOX1 gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells	PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing MEOX1 from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset.
	GAD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with MEOX1 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with MEOX1 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations dataset.