| Popis: |
Kallikreins are serine proteases with diverse physiological functions. Until recently, it was thought that the human kallikrein gene family included only three members, but recent studies have led to the complete characterization of the human kallikrein gene locus and identification of all 15 members of this family. Kallikreins are expressed in many organs, most prominently in endocrine-related tissues such as the prostate, breast, ovary, uterus, vagina, and testis. Many kallikreins are regulated by steroid hormones in cancer cell lines, and several lines of investigation have supported a link between kallikreins and cancer. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA, hK3) and, more recently, human glandular kallikrein 2 (hK2) are used as tumor markers for prostate cancer. Several other kallikreins, including hK5, hK6, hK8, hK10, hK11, and hK14, are emerging as new serum biomarkers for ovarian cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Some other kallikreins are differentially expressed at both the mRNA and protein levels in various endocrine-related malignancies. The coexpression of many kallikreins in several cancer types and other information points to the possibility of their involvement in a cascade-like pathway that may be associated with cancer pathogenesis or progression. Finally, in addition to their diagnostic/prognostic utilities, kallikreins may be attractive novel therapeutic targets. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
