Krüppel-like factor 5 protects against murine colitis and activates JAK-STAT signaling in vivo.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is characterized by chronic or recurring inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, affects 1.4 million persons in the United States alone. KLF5, a Krüppel-like factor (KLF) family member, is expressed within the epithelia of the gastrointestinal tract and has been implicated in rapid cell proliferation, migration, and remodeling in a number of tissues. Given these functions, we hypothesized that constitutive Klf5 expression would protect against the development of colitis in vivo. To examine the role of KLF5 in vivo, we used the Villin promoter to target Klf5 to the entire horizontal axis of the small intestine and colon. Villin-Klf5 transgenic mice were born at normal Mendelian ratios and appeared grossly normal to at least 1 year of age. Surprisingly, there were no significant changes in cell proliferation or in the differentiation of any of the intestinal lineages within the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon of Villin-Klf5 mice, compared to littermate controls. However, when Villin-Klf5 mice were treated with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to induce colitis, they developed less colonic injury and significantly reduced disease activity scores than littermate controls. The mechanism for this decreased injury may come via JAK-STAT signaling, the activation of which was increased in colonic mucosa of DSS treated Villin-Klf5 mice compared to controls. Thus, KLF5 and its downstream mediators may provide therapeutic targets and disease markers for IBD or other diseases characterized by injury and disruption of intestinal epithelia.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Marie-Pier
MP
Tetreault
Rami
R
Alrabaa
Megan
M
McGeehan
Jonathan P
JP
Katz
D000818:Animals; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D010766:Phosphorylation; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000235:genetics; D000097043:Interleukin-22
D007378:Interleukins; D053612:Janus Kinases; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors; D000097043:Interleukin-22; C118391:Klf5 protein, mouse