The spectrum of human kallikrein 6 (zyme/protease M/neurosin) expression in human tissues as assessed by immunohistochemistry

The KLK6 gene is anew member of the human kallikrein gene family and encodes for a secreted protease, human kallikrein 6 (hK6; also known as zyme/protease M/neurosin). No study has as yet reported detailed immunohistochemical localization of hK6 in human tissues. Our purpose was to examine the expression of hK6 in human tissues by immunohistochemistry. We have analyzed 199 paraffin blocks from archival, current, and autopsy material prepared from almost every normal human tissue. We employed an hK6-specific polyclonal rabbit antibody and avidin-biotin to localize hK6 by IHC. The staining pattern, the distribution of the immunostaining, and its intensity were studied in detail. The IHC expression of zyme was generally cytoplasmic. Various normal human tissues expressed the protein abundantly. Glandular epithelia constituted the main immunoexpression sites, with representative organs being the breast, prostate, kidney, endometrium, colon, appendix, salivary glands, bile ducts, and gallbladder. The small intestine, stomach, endocervix, Fallopian tube, epididymis, bronchus, and upper respiratory tract showed a focal expression as well. Choroid plexus epithelium, peripheral nerves, and some neuroendocrine cells (including the islets of Langerhans, cells in the anterior pituitary gland, and adrenal medulla) expressed the protein strongly and diffusely. A characteristic immunostaining was observed in the Hassall's corpuscles of the thymus, the oxyphilic cells of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, the primordial follicles of the ovary, dendritic cells mainly in the spleen, and in various cells of the placenta.