| Name | sperm protein associated with the nucleus, X-linked, family member A1 |
| Description | Temporally regulated transcription and translation of several testis-specific genes is required to initiate the series of molecular and morphological changes in the male germ cell lineage necessary for the formation of mature spermatozoa. This gene is a member of the SPANX family of cancer/testis-associated genes, which are located in a cluster on chromosome X. The SPANX genes encode differentially expressed testis-specific proteins that localize to various subcellular compartments. This particular gene maps to chromosome X in a head-to-head orientation with SPANX family member A2, which appears to be a duplication of the A1 locus. The protein encoded by this gene targets to the nucleus where it associates with nuclear vacuoles and the redundant nuclear envelope. Based on its association with these poorly characterized regions of the sperm nucleus, this protein provides a biochemical marker to study unique structures in spermatazoa while attempting to further define its role in spermatogenesis. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nSPANXA1 is a member of the SPAN‐X family of cancer‐testis antigens that are normally expressed exclusively during spermatogenesis. In the testis, SPANXA1 is produced only in haploid germ cells such as round and elongating spermatids, where it localizes to distinct intranuclear structures (including nuclear craters) and cytoplasmic droplets. The protein contains overlapping consensus nuclear localization signals and a high proportion of charged residues, pointing to a role in nuclear organization during sperm maturation. Its restricted expression in immune‐privileged germ cells makes it an attractive target for tumor immunotherapy."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "1", "end_ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nIn several tumor types, aberrant expression of SPANXA1 has been detected with context‐dependent consequences on cellular invasion and metastasis. In breast cancer cells, SPANX family members (including SPANX‐A/C/D) have been shown to interact with nuclear envelope components such as Lamin A/C to promote the formation of actin‐rich protrusions essential for extracellular matrix reorganization and metastatic spread. In lung adenocarcinoma, however, SPANXA1 (often studied together with its closely related A2 isoform) acts as an inhibitor of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) by suppressing the c‐JUN–SNAI2 axis, thereby upregulating E-cadherin and reducing invasion and metastasis. Furthermore, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, aberrantly high SPANXA1/A2 expression—linked to promoter hypomethylation—correlates with enhanced migratory capacity and poor patient outcome, underscoring its potential as both a prognostic marker and a therapeutic target."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "6", "end_ref": "8"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "V A Westbrook, A B Diekman, K L Klotz, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Spermatid-specific expression of the novel X-linked gene product SPAN-X localized to the nucleus of human spermatozoa."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biol Reprod (2000)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1093/biolreprod/63.2.469"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1093/biolreprod/63.2.469"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10906052"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10906052"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "V Anne Westbrook, Pamela D Schoppee, Alan B Diekman, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Genomic organization, incidence, and localization of the SPAN-x family of cancer-testis antigens in melanoma tumors and cell lines."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Clin Cancer Res (2004)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-0647-3"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-0647-3"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "14734458"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14734458"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Michele Salemi, Aldo E Calogero, Roberto Castiglione, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Expression of SpanX proteins in normal testes and in testicular germ cell tumours."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Int J Androl (2006)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1111/j.1365-2605.2005.00615.x"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2605.2005.00615.x"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "16390498"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16390498"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Alan D Pemberton, Steven H Wright, Pamela A Knight, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Anaphylactic release of mucosal mast cell granule proteases: role of serpins in the differential clearance of mouse mast cell proteases-1 and -2."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Immunol (2006)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.4049/jimmunol.176.2.899"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.176.2.899"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "16393974"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16393974"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Sierra Hansen, Evan E Eichler, Stephanie M Fullerton, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "SPANX gene variation in fertile and infertile males."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Syst Biol Reprod Med (2010)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.3109/19396360903312015"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.3109/19396360903312015"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "20073942"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20073942"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Erin A Maine, Jill M Westcott, Amanda M Prechtl, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "The cancer-testis antigens SPANX-A/C/D and CTAG2 promote breast cancer invasion."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Oncotarget (2016)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.18632/oncotarget.7408"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.7408"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "26895102"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26895102"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Yi-Jing Hsiao, Kang-Yi Su, Yi-Chiung Hsu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "SPANXA suppresses EMT by inhibiting c-JUN/SNAI2 signaling in lung adenocarcinoma."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Oncotarget (2016)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.18632/oncotarget.10088"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.10088"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "27323831"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27323831"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jingjing Li, Hao Bo, Fang Zhu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Hypomethylated SPANXA1/A2 promotes the metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Med Oncol (2020)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1007/s12032-020-01441-2"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-020-01441-2"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "33175201"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33175201"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | CT11.1, NAP-X, SPAN-X, SPAN-XB, SPAN-XA, SPANX-A, SPANX |
| Proteins | SPNXA_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 30014 |
| 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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SPANXA1 has 961 functional associations with biological entities spanning 9 categories (molecular profile, organism, chemical, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA, sequence feature) extracted from 48 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 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 Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of SPANXA1 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures | small molecule perturbations changing expression of SPANXA1 gene from the Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 | transcription factors binding the promoter of SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 gene from the CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components containing SPANXA1 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components co-occuring with SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions | chemicals interacting with SPANXA1 gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores | diseases co-occuring with SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of SPANXA1 gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| GAD Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with SPANXA1 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 gene in literature-supported statements describing functions of genes from the GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations dataset. | |
| GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing SPANXA1 from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases | disease perturbations changing expression of SPANXA1 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of SPANXA1 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations | kinase perturbations changing expression of SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2023 | cellular components containing SPANXA1 protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2025 | cellular components containing SPANXA1 protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx eQTL 2025 | SNPs regulating expression of SPANXA1 gene from the GTEx eQTL 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 | tissues with high or low expression of SPANXA1 gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 dataset. | |
| Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of SPANXA1 gene relative to other cell lines from the Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of SPANXA1 protein relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HuGE Navigator Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with SPANXA1 gene by text-mining GWAS publications from the HuGE Navigator Gene-Phenotype Associations dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for SPANXA1 protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of SPANXA1 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 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 SPANXA1 gene from the KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box Gene Expression Profiles | drug perturbations changing expression of SPANXA1 gene from the NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box dataset. | |
| Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 | transcription factors regulating expression of SPANXA1 gene from the Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of SPANXA1 gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of SPANXA1 gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Tabula Sapiens Gene-Cell Associations | cell types with high or low expression of SPANXA1 gene relative to other cell types from the Tabula Sapiens Gene-Cell Associations dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of SPANXA1 gene predicted using nonconserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of SPANXA1 protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of SPANXA1 protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues co-occuring with SPANXA1 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with SPANXA1 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
