Quantitative RT-PCR analysis and immunohistochemical localization of the kallikrein-related peptidases 13 and 14 in lung

Expression of the KLK13 and KLK14 genes was examined at the mRNA and protein levels in a cohort of 57 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The mRNA levels, assessed by real-time RT-PCR, were significantly different in malignant tissues compared to adjacent non-malignant tissues (KLK13, p=0.006; KLK14, p=0.022). KLK13 and KLK14 mRNA overexpression in tumors (1/3 of the patients) was associated with a positive nodal status in multivariate analysis (p=0.018 and p=0.069, respectively). KLK13 and KLK14 were localized in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells of normal bronchus and NSCLC, as determined by immunohistochemistry. Moreover, positive staining was significantly associated with adenocarcinoma histotype (KLK13, p=0.014) and tumor size (KLK14, p=0.048). Although the results are marginally significant, patients with high KLK13 expression at the mRNA or protein level had lower overall survival.