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50 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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DKK1
dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor 1
Chromosome 10 · 10q21.1
NCBI Gene: 22943Ensembl: ENSG00000107984.10HGNC: HGNC:2891UniProt: I1W660
533PubMed Papers
20Diseases
2Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
RESEARCH IMPACT
Highly StudiedTrending
CLINICAL
Clinical Trials
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
negative regulation of mesodermal cell fate specificationregulation of endodermal cell fate specificationnegative regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase IInegative regulation of canonical Wnt signaling pathwayalcohol drinkingatrial fibrillationArnold-Chiari malformation type Ibone fracture
✦AI Summary

DKK1 (dickkopf Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor 1) is a secreted antagonist of canonical Wnt signaling that functions as a key regulator of both developmental processes and disease pathogenesis. Mechanistically, DKK1 inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling by binding to the co-receptor LRP5/6 and forming a ternary complex with KREMEN that promotes LRP5/6 internalization 1. During embryonic development, DKK1 regulates antero-posterior axial patterning, limb development, somitogenesis, and cardiogenesis through Wnt antagonism 23. In adult pathology, DKK1 has emerged as a critical immunosuppressive factor. DKK1 promotes tumor immune evasion across multiple cancer types by inducing macrophages to suppress CD8+ T cell and natural killer cell activity, thereby limiting anti-PD-1 immunotherapy efficacy 456. Additionally, DKK1 coordinates inflammatory responses through cell-autonomous mechanisms involving SOCS3-restricted RelA activity 7. In non-cancer contexts, DKK1 loss promotes endometrial fibrosis via autophagy dysregulation and exosome-mediated macrophage differentiation, contributing to intrauterine adhesions 8. DKK1 inhibition emerges as a therapeutic strategy: anti-DKK1 treatment enhances chemotherapy and immunotherapy efficacy in multiple cancers while simultaneously alleviating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy 96.

Sources cited
1
Mechanistically, DKK1 inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling by binding to the co-receptor LRP5/6 and forming a ternary complex with KREMEN that promotes LRP5/6 internalization .
PMID: 22000856
2
Additionally, DKK1 coordinates inflammatory responses through cell-autonomous mechanisms involving SOCS3-restricted RelA activity .
PMID: 36539532
3
In non-cancer contexts, DKK1 loss promotes endometrial fibrosis via autophagy dysregulation and exosome-mediated macrophage differentiation, contributing to intrauterine adhesions .
PMID: 38961399
⚠Limited data available — This gene has 3 indexed publications. Summary and analysis may be incomplete.
Disease Associationsⓘ20
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.45Moderate
atrial fibrillationOpen Targets
0.40Weak
Arnold-Chiari malformation type IOpen Targets
0.37Weak
bone fractureOpen Targets
0.23Weak
androgenetic alopeciaOpen Targets
0.22Weak
malunion fractureOpen Targets
0.21Weak
Pilonidal abscessOpen Targets
0.17Weak
spermatoceleOpen Targets
0.17Weak
bone remodeling diseaseOpen Targets
0.14Weak
glomerulonephritisOpen Targets
0.14Weak
exostosisOpen Targets
0.14Weak
ulna fractureOpen Targets
0.13Weak
radius fractureOpen Targets
0.13Weak
multiple myelomaOpen Targets
0.13Weak
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.13Weak
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.12Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.12Weak
prostate cancerOpen Targets
0.12Weak
eosinophilic esophagitisOpen Targets
0.12Weak
cancerOpen Targets
0.12Weak
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Drug Targets2
BHQ-880Phase II
Dickkopf-related protein 1 inhibitor
multiple myeloma
DKN-01Phase II
Dickkopf-related protein 1 inhibitor
biliary tract cancer
Related Genes
CKAP4Protein interaction98%BMP2Protein interaction97%WNT3AProtein interaction95%WNT4Protein interaction95%FRZBProtein interaction93%WNT5BProtein interaction92%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Lung
100%
Brain
80%
Ovary
29%
Heart
26%
Liver
19%
Bone Marrow
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
DKK1CKAP4BMP2WNT3AWNT4FRZBWNT5B
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB3SOQ · 1.90 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.10LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.74 [0.51–1.10]
RankingsWhere DKK1 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #473of 20,598
    Most Researched533 · top 5%
  • #11,239of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.10
Genes detectedDKK1
Sources retrieved50 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
50▼
1
DKK1 loss promotes endometrial fibrosis via autophagy and exosome-mediated macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition.
PMID: 38961399
J Transl Med · 2024
1.00
2
ALKBH5 Drives Immune Suppression Via Targeting AXIN2 to Promote Colorectal Cancer and Is a Target for Boosting Immunotherapy.
PMID: 37169182
Gastroenterology · 2023
0.90
3
Stroma-derived Dickkopf-1 contributes to the suppression of NK cell cytotoxicity in breast cancer.
PMID: 39885132
Nat Commun · 2025
0.88
4
ALKBH5 governs human endoderm fate by regulating the DKK1/4-mediated Wnt/β-catenin activation.
PMID: 39166492
Nucleic Acids Res · 2024
0.86
5
Endothelial Dickkopf-1 Promotes Smooth Muscle Cell-derived Foam Cell Formation via USP53-mediated Deubiquitination of SR-A During Atherosclerosis.
PMID: 38904030
Int J Biol Sci · 2024
0.80