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1: Cancer Res. 1999 Aug 15;59(16):3927-30.Click here to read Links

Identification of a novel complex between human kallikrein 2 and protease inhibitor-6 in prostate cancer tissue.

Mikolajczyk SD, Millar LS, Marker KM, Rittenhouse HG, Wolfert RL, Marks LS, Charlesworth MC, Tindall DJ.

Hybritech Inc., San Diego, California 92121, USA. sdmikolajczyk@beckman.com

Human kallikrein (hK) 2 is an arginine-selective serine protease expressed predominantly in the prostate that has an 80% sequence identity with prostate-specific antigen. Expression of hK2 is elevated in the tumor epithelium compared to benign prostate tissue. We have purified, sequenced, and identified a novel hK2 complex in prostate tissue consisting of hK2 and a serine protease inhibitor known as protease inhibitor-6 (PI-6). This 64-kDa SDS-PAGE stable complex is elevated in the tumor and is approximately 10% of total hK2. No comparable complex of prostate-specific antigen was detected. PI-6, also known as cytoplasmic antiprotease, has been characterized as an intracellular inhibitor of trypsin and chymotrypsin-like proteases, which has high homology to plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and 2. The physiological role of PI-6 in the prostate and its relationship to hK2 and prostate cancer are under investigation.

PMID: 10463585 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]