KLK-4

  • OMIM: 603767
  • UniProt: Q9Y5K2
  • MGI: 1861379

Kallikrein -related peptidase 4, also known as KLK4 or EMSP1, is a human protein.

Nomenclature and genetics

Kallikreins are a subgroup of serine proteases and have different biological functions. The kallikreins part of the tumor marker prostate -specific antigen, which is referred to in the kallikrein nomenclature as KLK -3. KLK4 is in humans one of the 15 previously known members of the localized on chromosome 19 kallikrein family. The number of mouse genes is not known exactly and is estimated to be 13-26.

Tumor biological aspects

Recently, evidence has increased that in addition to the PSA and other kallikreins in cancer development play a role. So it seems KLK -4 to activate the PSA precursor pro- PSA and the urokinase plasminogen activator uPA -like. It is believed, therefore, that it is involved in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. Moreover, in prostate and mammary gland tissue expression of KLK -4 is hormonally regulated. Also this observation is the assumption that it plays a role in tumorigenesis in these tissues. Due to the tissue-specific expression of KLK -4 protein was investigated whether it is suitable for tumor vaccine against prostate cancer.

Tooth development

The murine homolog of KLK4 is expressed in the dental equipment. It was able to be detected in odontoblasts and ameloblasts. This supports the assumption that KLK4 plays a role in the degradation of enamel proteins, as it shows a 78 % sequence homology with the Enamel matrix serine protease I of the pig, which exerts such a function. Mutations at the KLK4 gene may be the cause of amelogenesis imperfecta ( AIPH ).

For further reading on chromosome 19

  • Strausberg RL, Feingold EA, Grouse LH, et al.: Generation and initial analysis of more than 15,000 full-length human and mouse cDNA sequences. In: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA vol. 99.26 pg. 16899-903 (2003) PMID 12477932
  • Grimwood J, Gordon LA, Olsen A, et al.: The DNA sequence and biology of human chromosome 19 in: Nature vol. 428.6982 pg. 529-35 (2004) PMID 15057824
  • Gerhard DS, Wagner L, Feingold EA, et al.: The status, quality, and expansion of the NIH full-length cDNA project: the Mammalian Gene Collection ( MGC). In: Genome Res vol. 14,10 B pg. 2121-7 (2004) PMID 15489334
Human Genome Organisation Mouse Genome Informatics MEROPS Entrez Ensembl National Center for Biotechnology Information Tumormarker Prostate-specific antigen Cancer Research (journal)
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