Haploinsufficiency of Krüppel-like factor 4 promotes adenomatous polyposis coli dependent intestinal tumorigenesis

Cancer Res. 2007 Aug 1;67(15):7147-54. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-1302.

Abstract

The zinc finger transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is frequently down-regulated in colorectal cancer. Previous studies showed that the expression of KLF4 was activated by the colorectal cancer tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and that KLF4 repressed the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Here, we examined whether KLF4 plays a role in modulating intestinal tumorigenesis by comparing the tumor burdens in mice heterozygous for the Apc(Min) allele (Apc(Min/+)) and those heterozygous for both the Apc(Min) and Klf4 alleles (Klf4(+/-)/Apc(Min/+)). Between 10 and 20 weeks of age, Klf4(+/-)/Apc(Min/+) mice developed, on average, 59% more intestinal adenomas than Apc(Min/+) mice (P < 0.0001). Immunohistochemical staining showed that Klf4 protein levels were lower in the normal-appearing intestinal tissues of Klf4(+/-)/Apc(Min/+) mice compared with wild-type, Klf4(+/-), or Apc(Min/+) mice. In contrast, the levels of beta-catenin and cyclin D1 were higher in the normal-appearing intestinal tissues of Klf4(+/-)/Apc(Min/+) mice compared with the other three genotypes. Klf4 levels were further decreased in adenomas from both Apc(Min/+) and Klf4(+/-)/Apc(Min/+) mice compared with their corresponding normal-appearing tissues. Reverse transcription-PCR showed an inverse correlation between adenoma size and Klf4 mRNA levels in both Klf4(+/-)/Apc(Min/+) and Apc(Min/+) mice. There was also a progressive loss of heterozygosity of the wild-type Apc allele in adenomas with increasing size from Klf4(+/-)/Apc(Min/+) and Apc(Min/+) mice. Results from this study show that KLF4 plays an important role in promoting the development of intestinal adenomas in the presence of Apc(Min) mutation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / genetics
  • Adenoma / metabolism
  • Adenoma / pathology
  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / genetics
  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / metabolism*
  • Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / pathology
  • Animals
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism*
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Cyclin D
  • Cyclins / genetics
  • Cyclins / metabolism
  • Female
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Intestinal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Intestinal Polyps / genetics
  • Intestinal Polyps / metabolism
  • Intestinal Polyps / pathology
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Loss of Heterozygosity
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Cyclin D
  • Cyclins
  • Klf4 protein, mouse
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • beta Catenin