KLK13 Human

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 .