This is a first study that provides strong evidence for enhanced expression of TK in peptic ulceration and gastric malignancy, suggestive of a crucial role for serine proteases in cancer.
SNPs in the KLK locus have been found to be associated with several diseases including cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and atopic dermatitis.
Kallikrein-related peptidase 14 (KLK14) is a member of the tissue kallikrein family of proteases, which are associated with the pathogenesis of malignant tumors and are over-expressed in ovarian carcinoma.
The kallikrein gene family (KLK1-KLK15) is the largest contiguous group of protease genes within the human genome and is associated with both risk and outcome of cancer and other diseases.
Tissue kallikrein and kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) compose a family of serine endopeptidases with much clinical interest in oncology, as their potential as diagnostic and/or prognostic molecular biomarkers in several human malignancies has already been evidenced.