Kallikrein genes: cloning in man and expression in rat renal hypertension

Genes for the small human glandular kallikrein gene family were isolated. Members of this family include renal/pancreatic kallikrein, prostate-specific antigen and a kallikrein encoded by the first gene that was isolated and completely sequenced, hGK-1. All share strong nucleotide sequence homology, although hGK-1 and the prostate-specific antigen gene are more closely related (86% identity in coding nucleotides). Renal/pancreatic kallikrein has 77% nucleotide homology to prostate-specific antigen, but only 60% amino acid homology. There is strong homology in the 5'-flanking DNA with mouse kallikrein genes, suggesting common regulatory mechanisms. In the rat one-kidney, one clip model of hypertension, renal kallikrein messenger (m)RNA increased during the initial transient rise in plasma renin, and then decreased.