UNCX Gene

HGNC Family Homeoboxes
Name UNC homeobox
Description This gene encodes a homeobox transcription factor that is involved in somitogenesis and neurogenesis and is required for the maintenance and differentiation of specific elements of the axial skeleton. This gene also plays a role in controlling the development of connections of hypothalamic neurons to pituitary elements, allowing central neurons to reach the peripheral blood circulation and deliver hormones that control peripheral functions. The expression of this gene is associated with an increased frequency of acute myeloid leukemia. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2017]
Summary
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nRecent investigations have identified a novel leukemogenic role for UNCX, a homeobox gene traditionally implicated in embryonic somitogenesis and neurogenesis with expression normally restricted to tissues such as the eye, brain, and kidney. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), epigenetic modifications—particularly an increase in DNA methylation at the borders of a low‐methylation “canyon” encompassing the UNCX locus—lead to its aberrant activation. This epigenetic deregulation is associated with distinct gene expression changes, including the upregulation of proliferation‐ and differentiation-related genes, which contribute to the neoplastic transformation of hematopoietic cells."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nFurthermore, functional studies in primary patient samples and UNCX-transduced CD34+ cells reveal that UNCX expression is linked with a reduction in cell proliferation and a block in differentiation—features characteristic of immature leukemia cells. Notably, UNCX positivity is particularly evident in early-stage AML blasts, including the M2 and M3 subtypes with wild-type NPM1, as well as in AML cases defined by the presence of genetic rearrangements such as PML-RARA and RUNX1-RUNX1T1. These findings suggest that the ectopic expression of UNCX, driven by specific epigenetic alterations, plays a critical role in disrupting normal hematopoietic maturation and thereby contributes to AML pathogenesis."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Giulia Daniele, Giorgia Simonetti, Caterina Fusilli, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Epigenetically induced ectopic expression of UNCX impairs the proliferation and differentiation of myeloid cells."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Haematologica (2017)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.3324/haematol.2016.163022"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2016.163022"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "28411256"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28411256"}]}]}]}
Synonyms UNCX4.1
Proteins UNC4_HUMAN
NCBI Gene ID 340260
API
Download Associations
Predicted Functions View UNCX's ARCHS4 Predicted Functions.
Co-expressed Genes View UNCX's ARCHS4 Predicted Functions.
Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines View UNCX's ARCHS4 Predicted Functions.

Functional Associations

UNCX has 2,279 functional associations with biological entities spanning 8 categories (molecular profile, organism, functional term, phrase or reference, chemical, disease, phenotype or trait, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 74 datasets.

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

If available, associations are ranked by standardized value

Dataset Summary
Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles tissues with high or low expression of UNCX gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles tissues with high or low expression of UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles cell types and tissues with high or low expression of UNCX gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles cell lines with high or low copy number of UNCX gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations cell types associated with UNCX 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 UNCX gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
ChEA Transcription Factor Targets transcription factors binding the promoter of UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX gene from the CM4AI KOLF21J CRISPRi Gene Perturbation Atlas dataset.
COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores cellular components containing UNCX protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores cellular components co-occuring with UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles cell lines with UNCX gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions chemicals interacting with UNCX gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset.
CTD Gene-Disease Associations diseases associated with UNCX gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency cell lines with fitness changed by UNCX gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset.
DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores diseases associated with UNCX gene in GWAS datasets from the DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset.
DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 diseases associated with UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations phenotypes associated with UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets transcription factors binding the promoter of UNCX 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 UNCX from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset.
GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing UNCX from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset.
GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases disease perturbations changing expression of UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset.
GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 biological processes involving UNCX gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 dataset.
GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 biological processes involving UNCX gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 dataset.
GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 biological processes involving UNCX gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset.
GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 cellular components containing UNCX protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 dataset.
GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 molecular functions performed by UNCX gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 dataset.
GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 molecular functions performed by UNCX gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2023 dataset.
GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 molecular functions performed by UNCX gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 dataset.
GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles tissues with high or low expression of UNCX 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 UNCX gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 dataset.
GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations phenotypes associated with UNCX gene in GWAS datasets from the GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations dataset.
GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 phenotypes associated with UNCX gene in GWAS datasets from the GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset.
GWASdb SNP-Disease Associations diseases associated with UNCX gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GWASdb SNP-Disease Associations dataset.
GWASdb SNP-Phenotype Associations phenotypes associated with UNCX gene in GWAS datasets from the GWASdb SNP-Phenotype Associations dataset.
Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles cell lines with high or low expression of UNCX gene relative to other cell lines from the Heiser et al., PNAS, 2011 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations protein domains predicted for UNCX protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset.
JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 transcription factors regulating expression of UNCX 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 UNCX 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 UNCX gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
Kinase Library Serine Threonine Kinome Atlas kinases that phosphorylate UNCX protein from the Kinase Library Serine Threonine Atlas dataset.
Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles cell lines with high or low copy number of UNCX 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 UNCX gene from the KnockTF Gene Expression Profiles with Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset.
LOCATE Curated Protein Localization Annotations cellular components containing UNCX protein in low- or high-throughput protein localization assays from the LOCATE Curated Protein Localization Annotations dataset.
LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations cellular components predicted to contain UNCX protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset.
MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 phenotypes of transgenic mice caused by UNCX gene mutations from the MGI Mouse Phenotype Associations 2023 dataset.
MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets transcription factors regulating expression of UNCX gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
MPO Gene-Phenotype Associations phenotypes of transgenic mice caused by UNCX gene mutations from the MPO Gene-Phenotype Associations dataset.
NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box Gene Expression Profiles drug perturbations changing expression of UNCX gene from the NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box dataset.
NURSA Protein Complexes protein complexs containing UNCX protein recovered by IP-MS from the NURSA Protein Complexes dataset.
Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions interacting proteins for UNCX from the Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions dataset.
PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations gene perturbations changing expression of UNCX 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 UNCX gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset.
Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles cell types and tissues with high or low DNA methylation of UNCX 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 UNCX gene from the Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset.
Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 transcription factors regulating expression of UNCX gene from the Rummagene Transcription Factor Associations 2026 dataset.
RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures drug perturbations changing expression of UNCX gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset.
RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures gene perturbations changing expression of UNCX gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset.
TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors tissue samples with high or low expression of UNCX gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset.
TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores tissues co-occuring with UNCX 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 UNCX protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.