KLK13 Human
Description
Biological Functions and Mechanisms
KLK13 exhibits trypsin-like enzymatic activity, cleaving substrates after arginine residues (e.g., Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-AMC) . Its roles include:
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Cancer Pathogenesis: Overexpression in breast, ovarian, and lung cancers correlates with favorable prognosis .
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Hormonal Regulation: Expression is upregulated by estrogen and progesterone in hormone-sensitive cancers .
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Proteolytic Cascade: Activates other kallikreins and interacts with inhibitors like α2-macroglobulin .
Clinical Significance in Oncology
KLK13 serves as a biomarker for cancer prognosis and therapeutic response:
Key Clinical Studies
Mechanistic Insights:
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KLK13 inhibits metastasis by degrading extracellular matrix components .
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Its expression is inversely correlated with tumor grade and stage .
Recombinant KLK13: Research Applications
Commercially available KLK13 Human variants include:
| Supplier | Catalog # | Expression System | Molecular Weight | Purity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProSpec | ENZ-846 | E. coli | 31.3 kDa | >95% |
| R&D Systems | 2625-SE | Yeast/HEK293 | 28.4 kDa | >95% |
| OriGene | TP720647 | HEK293 | 28.03 kDa | >95% |
Activity Assay: Requires activation by lysyl-endopeptidase, with specific activity >200 pmol/min/μg .
Future Directions
Product Specs
Product Science Overview
The gene encoding for KLK13 is located on chromosome 19q13.3-4, along with fourteen other members of the kallikrein family . The KLK13 gene spans approximately 8.7 kilobases of genomic DNA and consists of five coding exons and four introns . The longest transcript of KLK13 is 831 base pairs, encoding a protein of 277 amino acids .
Recombinant human Kallikrein-13 (rhKLK13) is produced using various expression systems, such as the Pichia pastoris yeast expression system . The recombinant protein is then purified and used as an immunogen to generate monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies . These antibodies are essential for developing sensitive and specific immunoassays to measure hK13 levels in various biological fluids and tissue extracts .
KLK13 is expressed in several tissues, including the esophagus, tonsil, trachea, lung, cervix, and prostate . It is also found in biological fluids such as seminal plasma, amniotic fluid, follicular fluid, ascites of ovarian cancer patients, breast milk, and cytosolic extracts of ovarian cancer tissues . Immunohistochemical analysis has shown that hK13 is localized in the epithelial cells of both non-diseased and cancerous prostate tissues .
KLK13 has been studied for its potential role as a disease biomarker. It appears to be overexpressed in 50% of ovarian cancer tissues compared to healthy ovarian tissues . The development of a sensitive and specific immunofluorometric assay for hK13 allows researchers to explore its physiological and pathobiological roles in human diseases .
Recombinant hK13 protein is used in various research applications, including the development of immunoassays and the study of its enzymatic activity . The protein’s ability to cleave specific fluorogenic peptide substrates is measured to determine its activity . Additionally, recombinant hK13 is used to generate antibodies for research and diagnostic purposes .
