BACKGROUND Kallikreins play a pivotal role in establishing prostate cancer. RESULTS In contrast to the classical Kunitz plant inhibitor SbTI, the recombinant kallikrein inhibitor (rBbKIm) led to prostate cancer cell death, whereas fibroblast viability was not affected. CONCLUSION rBbKIm shows selective cytotoxic effect and angiogenesis inhibition against prostate cancer cells. SIGNIFICANC...

Objective: To independently verify if a panel of 4 kallikreins (total, free, and intact prostate-specific antigen [PSA] and kallikrein-related peptidase 2) can determine who may not need prostate biopsy in the face of an elevated, initial screening PSA. Participants/Methods: 2914 men who underwent their first PSA screening for prostate cancer were evaluated from the European Randomized Study of...

residue (cysteine proteases), aspartate (aspartate proteases), metal ion (metalloproteases) or serine (serine proteases). Serine proteases are a family of enzymes that utilizes a uniquely activated serine residue in the substrate-binding site to catalytically hydrolyze peptide bonds (Schultz and Liebman, 1997). This active site is characterized by the irreversible interaction with diisopropylfl...

The introduction of testing for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a member of the fifteen-gene family of kallikrein-related peptidases and also known as kallikrein-related peptidase 3 (KLK3), in blood has revolutionized both the detection and management of prostate cancer. Given the similarities between PSA and other KLK gene family members along with limitations of PSA as a biomarker for prosta...

Bradykinin, Arg-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe-Ser-Pro-Phe-Arg, is released from bradykininogen by the action of kallikreins and brings about smooth muscle stimulation, vasodilation, increase in capillary permeability, ac cumulation and migration of leucocytes and pain production. It is well known that so-called kininase, for example catheptic carboxypeptidase B and carboxypeptidase N, destroy bradykinin by c...

The kallikrein kinin system (KKS) consists of serine proteases involved in the production of peptides called kinins, principally bradykinin and Lys-bradykinin (kallidin). The KKS contributes to a variety of physiological processes including inflammation, blood pressure control and coagulation. Here we review the protein structural data available for these serine proteases and examine the molecu...