LKB1/STK11 Products

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare hereditary disease characterized by melanocytic macules lips, gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyps and an increased risk for many classes of cancer. LKB1 (also designated STK11 and PJS) has been identified as the gene mutated in PJS. LKB1 is a 433 amino acid Serine/Threonine kinase with strong homology to the Xenopus cytoplasmic protein kinase XEEK1 and weaker similarity to many other protein kinases. LKB1 is ubiquitously expressed and many frameshift, deletion and splicing mutations have been identified in PJS patients. Despite the increased risk of cancer for PJS patients, LKB1 does not appear to play a major role in colorectal, testicular or breast cancers.