CLONING OF A NEW KUNITZ-TYPE PROTEASE INHIBITOR WITH A PUTATIVE TRANSMEMBRANE DOMAIN OVEREXPRESSED IN PANCREATIC-CANCER

In a previous large scale screen for differentially expressed genes in pancreatic cancer, we identified a gene highly overexpressed in cance r encoding a novel putative transmembrane protein with two Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor domains. The identified gene named kop (Kun itz domain containing protein overexpressed in pancreatic cancer) was assigned to chromosome 19 in the region 19q13.1. Kop was detected at h igh levels in pancreatic cancer cell lines and was overexpressed in pa ncreatic cancer tissues as compared to both, normal pancreas and chron ic pancreatitis tissues. Being a member of the Kunitz-type serine prot ease inhibitor family, this new gene may participate in tumour cell in vasion and metastasis and in the development of the marked desmoplasti c reaction typical for human pancreatic cancer tissues. In this contex t, the fact that kop has a putative transmembrane domain may have func tional implications of particular interest. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.