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25 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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KRT7
keratin 7
Chromosome 12 · 12q13.13
NCBI Gene: 3855Ensembl: ENSG00000135480.18HGNC: HGNC:6445UniProt: P08729
181PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
RESEARCH IMPACT
Trending
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingnucleuscytoplasmcytosolneoplasmcolorectal carcinomalung cancercancer
✦AI Summary

KRT7 (keratin 7) is a structural protein primarily known as a component of intermediate filaments in epithelial tissues 1. Beyond its canonical cytoskeletal role, KRT7 functions as a critical regulator of cancer cell behavior and immune microenvironment remodeling across multiple malignancies. In colorectal cancer, bacterial infection via Fusobacterium nucleatum upregulates KRT7 expression through NF-κB pathway activation, promoting cell migration and lung metastasis 2. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, KRT7 overexpression drives liver metastasis without affecting primary tumor proliferation, instead remodeling the extracellular matrix niche by promoting FGF2 secretion, which suppresses cancer-associated fibroblast proliferation and ECM deposition 3. In gastric cancer, the transcription factor FOXA1 activates KRT7 to enhance proliferation, migration, invasion, and chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil 4. Clinically, elevated KRT7 expression correlates with poor prognostic outcomes across bladder cancer 5 and ovarian cancer, where it associates with paclitaxel resistance and reduced CD8+ T cell infiltration while promoting regulatory T cell accumulation 6. These findings establish KRT7 as both a validated prognostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target in cancer management.

Sources cited
1
KRT7 upregulation by Fusobacterium nucleatum via NF-κB pathway promotes CRC cell migration and lung metastasis
PMID: 31910722
2
KRT7 overexpression promotes pancreatic cancer liver metastasis by remodeling extracellular matrix through FGF2-fibroblast crosstalk without affecting primary tumor proliferation
PMID: 40011455
3
FOXA1 transcriptionally activates KRT7 to promote gastric cancer proliferation, migration, invasion, and chemoresistance to 5-fluorouracil
PMID: 31317696
4
KRT7 is expressed in transitional basal progenitor cells (p63+KRT5+KRT7+) at squamous-columnar junctions in the upper gastrointestinal tract
PMID: 29019984
5
High KRT7 expression in bladder cancer correlates with poor overall and disease-free survival, increased Tregs, and reduced CD8+ T and NK cell infiltration
PMID: 38321777
6
KRT7 expression in ovarian cancer correlates with paclitaxel resistance, poor survival, and increased neutrophil infiltration
PMID: 37023314
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.12Weak
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.10Weak
lung cancerOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.10Suggestive
pancreatic adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
chronic myelogenous leukemiaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
inflammatory bowel diseaseOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
ovarian cancerOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
pachyonychia congenitaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
oral squamous cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
knee fractureOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
Miyoshi myopathyOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
ulcerative colitisOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
colorectal adenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
acute lymphoblastic leukemiaOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
primary biliary cirrhosisOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
KRT77Shared pathway100%KRT79Shared pathway100%KRT73Shared pathway100%KRT78Shared pathway100%KRT80Shared pathway100%KRT72Shared pathway100%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Lung
100%
Liver
4%
Heart
1%
Ovary
0%
Brain
0%
Bone Marrow
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
KRT7KRT77KRT79KRT73KRT78KRT80KRT72
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
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PDB4XIF · 3.20 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.46LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF1.14 [0.90–1.46]
RankingsWhere KRT7 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #2,401of 20,598
    Most Researched181 · top quartile
  • #14,923of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.46
Genes detectedKRT7
Sources retrieved25 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
25▼
1
PMID: 31910722
Gut Microbes · 2020
1.00
2
KRT7 promotes pancreatic cancer metastasis by remodeling the extracellular matrix niche through FGF2-fibroblast crosstalk.
PMID: 40011455
Sci Rep · 2025
0.90
3
FOXA1 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion by transcriptional activating KRT7 in human gastric cancer cells.
PMID: 31317696
J Biol Regul Homeost Agents · 2019
0.80
4
Transitional basal cells at the squamous-columnar junction generate Barrett's oesophagus.
PMID: 29019984
Nature · 2017
0.70
5
Genetic Factors Involved in Mandibular Prognathism.
PMID: 28570402
J Craniofac Surg · 2017
0.64