Differential expression of Kallikrein gene 5 in cancerous and normal testicular tissues

• Published in: Urology (Ridgewood, N.J.) N.J.), 2002-10, Vol.60 (4), p.714-718
• Main Authors: Yousef, George M., Obiezu, Christina V., Jung, Klaus, Stephan, Carsten, Scorilas, Andreas, Diamandis, Eleftherios P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Down-Regulation; Gene Expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Kallikreins - biosynthesis; Kallikreins - genetics; Male; Male genital diseases; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Testicular Neoplasms - genetics; Testicular Neoplasms - metabolism; Testis - metabolism; Tumors
• ISSN: 0090-4295; 1527-9995
• DOI: 10.1016/S0090-4295(02)01811-3

Kallikrein gene 5 (KLK5; formerly designated as kallikrein-like gene 2, or human stratum corneum tryptic enzyme) is one of the new members of the human kallikrein gene family on chromosome 19q13.4. Although it is expressed at low levels in various tissues, KLK5 expression is highest in the human mammary gland and testis. Previous investigations have established that the expression of KLK5 is estrogen and progestin driven in the BT-474 breast cancer cell line. In this study, we focused on KLK5 expression in normal and cancerous testicular tissue. Fourteen matched testicular tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples were minced on dry ice and homogenized. Total RNA was extracted and mRNA was reverse transcribed. The cDNA samples were amplified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction with KLK5-specific primers to compare the relative KLK5 levels in normal and cancerous testicular tissues. In 13 (93%) of the 14 patients, KLK5 expression in the cancerous area was significantly lower than in the adjacent, histologically confirmed, normal testicular tissue samples ( P