Kruppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) prevents embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation by regulating Nanog gene expression.
Transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) is essential for somatic cell reprogramming. In addition, Klf4 seems to play a redundant role along with other Klf family proteins in embryonic stem (ES) cell self-renewal. However, how Klf4 regulates ES cell self-renewal and somatic cell reprogramming is still poorly understood. Here we report that Klf4 is required for both ES cell self-renewal and maintenance of pluripotency and that the expression of Klf4 prevents ES cell differentiation in response to withdrawal of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) or bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4). In addition, Klf4 directly binds to the promoter region of Nanog and regulates its expression. Expression of Nanog prevents ES cell differentiation even when Klf4 gene expression is knocked down. On the other hand, knockdown of Nanog expression induces differentiation of ES cells that overexpress Klf4. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Klf4 functions upstream of Nanog in ES cell self-renewal and in preventing ES cell differentiation.
Zhang
Peilin
P
Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. peilinzh@usc.edu.
Andrianakos
Rose
R
Yang
Yang
Y
Liu
Chunming
C
Lu
Wange
W
D000818:Animals; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
C525809:BMP4 protein, human; C525810:Bmp4 protein, mouse; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C000715467:KLF4 protein, human; C000715468:Klf4 protein, mouse; D000090062:Kruppel-Like Factor 4; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; C486780:NANOG protein, human; D000071317:Nanog Homeobox Protein; C475540:Nanog protein, mouse; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; C494087:Stat3 protein, mouse