Serine Peptidase Inhibitor Kazal Type 6 (SPINK6)

SPINK6 is a Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor that acts on kallikrein-related peptidases in the skin. Two transcript variants the same protein have been found for this gene. Natural SPINK6 was purified from human plantar stratum corneum extracts. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed SPINK6 expression in the stratum granulosum of human skin at various anatomical localizations and in the skin appendages, including sebaceous glands and sweat glands. SPINK6 expression was decreased in lesions of atopic dermatitis. SPINK6 inhibited desquamation of human plantar callus in an ex vivo model. SPINK6 plays a role in modulating the activity of KLKs in human skin. A selective inhibition of KLKs by SPINK6 might have therapeutic potential when KLK activity is elevated.