HPC 1

Role in the organism:

The HPC1 gene encodes a ribonuclease (an RNA cleavage enzyme) whose function is to prevent viral infections and control cell proliferation.

Role in the disorder (state):

Mutations in the HPC1 gene are associated with a predisposition to hereditary prostate cancer, accounting for an incidence of approximately 1 in 500 cases of this type of cancer. In developed countries, hereditary prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in men and almost common in men over 65 years of age. Loss of HPC1 factor function removes a very important level of cell proliferation control. The effects of HPC1 factor function loss were first observed in prostate tissue.