HomeAboutRankingsData Sources
© 2026 GeneE
🧬
GeneE
50 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
ⓘGeneE is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
ROCK1
Rho associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 1
Chromosome 18 · 18q11.1
NCBI Gene: 6093Ensembl: ENSG00000067900.9HGNC: HGNC:10251UniProt: Q13464
549PubMed Papers
20Diseases
13Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Highly ConstrainedHub GeneKinase
RESEARCH IMPACT
Highly StudiedTrending
CLINICAL
FDA Approved Target
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
positive regulation of MAPK cascaderegulation of keratinocyte differentiationregulation of neuron differentiationnegative regulation of amyloid precursor protein catabolic processopen-angle glaucomaocular hypertensionneurodegenerative diseaseglaucoma
✦AI Summary

ROCK1 is a serine/threonine kinase that functions as a key regulator of actin cytoskeleton dynamics and cell polarity through phosphorylation of multiple substrates including LIMK1/2, MYL9, and cofilin 123. The protein controls diverse cellular processes including smooth muscle contraction, stress fiber formation, focal adhesion assembly, and cell migration 123. Mechanistically, ROCK1 integrates multiple signaling pathways. It acts downstream of RhoA and S1PR2 signaling to regulate cytoskeletal remodeling 45. Recently, ROCK1 was identified as a novel kinase upstream of TFEB, independently phosphorylating this transcription factor to regulate lysosomal biogenesis and function 6. ROCK1 also phosphorylates JIP3 to recruit JNK upon stress 1. Disease relevance is substantial. ROCK1 suppression protects against Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis by promoting lysosomal Aβ clearance and preventing cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice 6. ROCK1 mediates inflammatory bowel disease progression through vascular endothelial barrier dysfunction and M1 macrophage polarization 4. In reproductive health, ROCK1 suppression by nanoplastic-induced autophagy causes miscarriage 7. ROCK1 expression correlates with postmenopausal osteoporosis severity 8 and benign prostatic hyperplasia progression 5. Clinically, ROCK1 emerges as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target across multiple pathologies, with ROCK1 inhibition showing therapeutic promise in neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases.

Sources cited
1
ROCK1 regulates actin cytoskeleton, cell polarity, and phosphorylates LIMK1 and other substrates
PMID: 10436159
2
ROCK1 controls stress fiber formation and focal adhesion assembly
PMID: 10652353
3
ROCK1 regulates smooth muscle contraction and cytoskeletal organization
PMID: 11018042
4
S1PR2/RhoA/ROCK1 pathway promotes IBD through vascular endothelial barrier damage and M1 macrophage polarization
PMID: 35537530
5
RhoA/ROCK1 pathway promotes benign prostatic hyperplasia via YAP1 activation and fibrosis
PMID: 38050650
6
ROCK1 acts as upstream kinase of TFEB to regulate lysosomal biogenesis and Aβ clearance in Alzheimer's disease
PMID: 39497162
7
ROCK1 suppression by nanoplastic-induced SOX2 degradation causes trophoblast migration defects and miscarriage
PMID: 38252510
8
ROCK1 expression correlates with postmenopausal osteoporosis pathogenesis and severity
PMID: 37683138
Disease Associationsⓘ20
open-angle glaucomaOpen Targets
0.58Moderate
ocular hypertensionOpen Targets
0.58Moderate
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.55Moderate
glaucomaOpen Targets
0.55Moderate
graft versus host diseaseOpen Targets
0.50Moderate
immune system diseaseOpen Targets
0.38Weak
cardiovascular diseaseOpen Targets
0.37Weak
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophyOpen Targets
0.36Weak
Fuchs' endothelial dystrophyOpen Targets
0.31Weak
chronic graft versus host diseaseOpen Targets
0.30Weak
corneal edemaOpen Targets
0.28Weak
polycystic ovary syndromeOpen Targets
0.28Weak
male reproductive organ cancerOpen Targets
0.25Weak
major depressive disorderOpen Targets
0.24Weak
Delayed pubertyOpen Targets
0.24Weak
non-small cell lung carcinomaOpen Targets
0.21Weak
osteosarcomaOpen Targets
0.21Weak
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.21Weak
acute myeloid leukemiaOpen Targets
0.21Weak
melanomaOpen Targets
0.20Weak
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Drug Targets13
AMA0076Phase II
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
glaucoma
AT-13148Phase I
MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 2 inhibitor
BELUMOSUDILApproved
Rho-associated protein kinase 2 inhibitor
graft versus host disease
BELUMOSUDIL MESYLATEApproved
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
graft versus host disease
DE-104Phase II
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
ocular hypertension
FASUDILApproved
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
cardiovascular disease
NETARSUDILApproved
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
open-angle glaucoma
NETARSUDIL DIMESYLATEApproved
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
open-angle glaucoma
RIPASUDILApproved
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
glaucoma
RIPASUDIL HYDROCHLORIDE DIHYDRATEApproved
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
glaucoma
SAR-407899Phase II
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
diabetic nephropathy
VEROSUDILPhase II
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
Y-39983Phase I/II
Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor
Related Genes
MYL12BProtein interaction100%MAPK3Protein interaction99%MYL9Protein interaction99%HIF1AProtein interaction99%MYL12AProtein interaction99%MYCProtein interaction98%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Lung
66%
Heart
56%
Ovary
38%
Brain
35%
Liver
26%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
ROCK1MYL12BMAPK3MYL9HIF1AMYL12AMYC
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB8P0S · 2.20 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.29Highly Constrained
pLIⓘ
1.00Intolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.20 [0.14–0.29]
RankingsWhere ROCK1 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #450of 20,598
    Most Researched549 · top 5%
  • #203of 1,025
    FDA-Approved Drug Targets7 · top quartile
  • #1,081of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.29 · top 10%
Genes detectedROCK1
Sources retrieved50 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
50▼
1
Polystyrene Nanoplastics Activate Autophagy and Suppress Trophoblast Cell Migration/Invasion and Migrasome Formation to Induce Miscarriage.
PMID: 38252510
ACS Nano · 2024
1.00
2
Identification of ROCK1 as a novel biomarker for postmenopausal osteoporosis and pan-cancer analysis.
PMID: 37683138
Aging (Albany NY) · 2023
0.90
3
[Rho-kinase inhibitors].
PMID: 21908938
Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi · 2011
0.84
4
ROCK1/2 signaling contributes to corticosteroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease.
PMID: 38199985
Nat Commun · 2024
0.82
5
Curcumin reinforces MSC-derived exosomes in attenuating osteoarthritis via modulating the miR-124/NF-kB and miR-143/ROCK1/TLR9 signalling pathways.
PMID: 32776418
J Cell Mol Med · 2020
0.80