PRKCA: Protein Kinase C Alpha – A Key Signaling Hub in Cancer and Neurological Disorders
Comprehensive genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic overview of PRKCA, a serine/threonine kinase with roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | PRKCA |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Protein Kinase C Alpha |
| Gene Type | protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 17q24.2 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 5578 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/5578 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000154229 |
| UniProt ID | P17252 |
| OMIM ID | 176960 |
| HGNC ID | 9393 |
| Aliases | PKC-alpha, PKCA, PRKACA |
Description
PRKCA (Protein Kinase C Alpha) is a protein-coding gene that encodes a member of the protein kinase C (PKC) family of serine/threonine kinases. The enzyme is activated by calcium and diacylglycerol and is involved in numerous cellular processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and migration. PRKCA is implicated in various cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Glioblastoma | PRKCA amplification and overexpression promote tumor growth and invasion via MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways | COSMIC, ClinVar |
| Colorectal Cancer | PRKCA mutations (e.g., D463N) alter kinase activity and contribute to Wnt/β-catenin signaling dysregulation | COSMIC, NCBI |
| Alzheimer Disease | PRKCA dysregulation affects amyloid-beta metabolism and tau phosphorylation | OMIM, NCBI |
| Cardiac Hypertrophy | PRKCA activation mediates hypertrophic signaling through Gq-coupled receptors | OMIM, NCBI |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Brain | 28.5 | High |
| Heart | 15.2 | Medium |
| Lung | 12.8 | Medium |
| Liver | 6.3 | Low |
| Kidney | 18.1 | Medium |
| Testis | 22.4 | High |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HEK293 | 35.2 | Embryonic kidney cells |
| HeLa | 42.1 | Cervical cancer cells |
| A549 | 28.7 | Lung adenocarcinoma cells |
| MCF7 | 19.3 | Breast cancer cells |
| SH-SY5Y | 45.6 | Neuroblastoma cells |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| D463N | Missense | 0.2% (COSMIC) | Alters kinase activity; associated with colorectal cancer |
| V520M | Missense | 0.1% (COSMIC) | Gain-of-function; linked to glioblastoma |
| G128R | Missense | <0.1% (ClinVar) | Loss-of-function; reported in neurological disorders |
| A549T | Missense | 0.05% (COSMIC) | Unknown significance; observed in lung cancer |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
G128R reduces kinase activity and downstream signaling.
Gain of Function (GOF)
V520M enhances catalytic activity and promotes cell proliferation.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No well-characterized dominant-negative mutations reported.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• hsa04010: MAPK signaling pathway
• hsa04151: PI3K-Akt signaling pathway
• hsa04660: T cell receptor signaling pathway
• hsa04722: Neurotrophin signaling pathway
• hsa05200: Pathways in cancer
Protein Summary
Protein kinase C alpha (PKC-alpha) is a 672-amino acid serine/threonine kinase with a regulatory domain (C1 and C2) and a catalytic domain. It is activated by calcium, phospholipids, and diacylglycerol. PKC-alpha phosphorylates a wide range of substrates involved in cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Its dysregulation is implicated in oncogenesis and neurodegeneration.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRKCA Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ116 | Human | 5578 | Details Get a Quote |
| PRKCA Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ18482 | Human | 5578 | Details Get a Quote |
| PRKCA Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ18484 | Human | 5578 | Details Get a Quote |
| PRKCA Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ18485 | Human | 5578 | Details Get a Quote |
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