Biologically anchored knowledge expansion approach uncovers KLF4 as a novel insulin signaling regulator

PLoS One. 2018 Sep 21;13(9):e0204100. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204100. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

One of the biggest challenges in analyzing high throughput omics data in biological studies is extracting information that is relevant to specific biological mechanisms of interest while simultaneously restricting the number of false positive findings. Due to random chances with numerous candidate targets and mechanisms, computational approaches often yield a large number of false positives that cannot easily be discerned from relevant biological findings without costly, and often infeasible, biological experiments. We here introduce and apply an integrative bioinformatics approach, Biologically Anchored Knowledge Expansion (BAKE), which uses sequential statistical analysis and literature mining to identify highly relevant network genes and effectively removes false positive findings. Applying BAKE to genomic expression data collected from mouse (Mus musculus) adipocytes during insulin resistance progression, we uncovered the transcription factor Krueppel-like Factor 4 (KLF4) as a regulator of early insulin signaling. We experimentally confirmed that KLF4 controls the expression of two key insulin signaling molecules, the Insulin Receptor Substrate 2 (IRS2) and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 (TSC2).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes / metabolism
  • Adipogenesis
  • Animals
  • Computational Biology*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Data Mining
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins / metabolism
  • Insulin Resistance / genetics
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Signal Transduction* / genetics
  • Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins
  • Klf4 protein, mouse
  • Kruppel-Like Factor 4
  • Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors
  • Tsc2 protein, mouse
  • Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein