Modulation of cardiac fibrosis by Kruppel-like factor 6 through transcriptional control of thrombospondin 4 in cardiomyocytes.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) are a family of transcription factors which play important roles in the heart under pathological and developmental conditions. We previously identified and cloned Klf6 whose homozygous mutation in mice results in embryonic lethality suggesting a role in cardiovascular development. Effects of KLF6 on pathological regulation of the heart were investigated in the present study.

Methods and results

Mice heterozygous for Klf6 resulted in significantly diminished levels of cardiac fibrosis in response to angiotensin II infusion. Intriguingly, a similar phenotype was seen in cardiomyocyte-specific Klf6 knockout mice, but not in cardiac fibroblast-specific knockout mice. Microarray analysis revealed increased levels of the extracellular matrix factor

SUBMITTER: Sawaki D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4540142 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature