High expression of KLK5 enhances radiation resistance of cervical cancer

Studies have demonstrated the correlation between kallikrein-related peptidase 5 (KLK5) and cervical cancer prognosis, but studies on the correlation between KLK5 and radiation resistance are rare. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of high KLK5 expression in improving radiation resistance in cervical cancer and the underlying mechanisms. Samples from 29 patients with cervical cancer who received definitive radiotherapy without surgical treatment and other antineoplastic treatments (2014–2016) were analyzed. The patients were divided into the radiotherapy-sensitive (RS) group (18 patients without local recurrence and distant metastasis within 3 years after initial treatment) and the radiotherapy-resistant (RR) group (11 patients with uncontrolled conditions with radiotherapy, local recurrence, or distant metastasis within 3 years after initial treatment). We used high-throughput gene sequencing to detect radiosensitivity-related factors. We found that the expression of KLK5 in the RR group was higher than that in the RS group, and this result was associated with poor outcomes after radiotherapy as patients developed distant metastasis and showed recurrence at 2–3 years of follow-up. Besides, a high KLK5 expression enhances radiation resistance, indicating that, with further research, KLK5 may be used to develop novel molecular target-specific modulators for anti-cervical cancer therapy, acting as a prognostic agent in personalized precision medicine for cancer.