title: KLF15 is an essential negative regulatory factor for the cardiac remodeling response to pressure overload.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mechanism of Krüppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) in cardiac remodeling and interstitial fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rat model was established by in vivo aortic coarctation followed by a period of pressure unloading and used to measure heart function, myocardial pathological changes, and KLF15, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) expression levels. In addition, cardiac fibroblasts were cultured in vitro and treated with KLF15-shRNA or KLF15 recombinant adenovirus to establish a TGF-β-mediated cardiac fibroblast hypertrophy model and analyze cell morphology, collagen secretion, and changes in the expression levels of 4 cytokines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vivo pressure overload impaired cardiac function and resulted in myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. These changes were accompanied by the downregulation of KLF15 mRNA levels and increased expression of the other factors. The response to unloading was the opposite. In in vitro cell experiments, by specifically targeting the KLF15 gene, changes in the expression levels of the 4 cytokines and the amounts of collagen I and III were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In myocardial remodeling processes induced by mechanical or metabolic factors, KLF15 regulates TGF-β, CTGF, and MRTF-A expression and can ameliorate or even reverse myocardial fibrosis and improve cardiac function.
authors: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Xinqiao Hospital Affiliated to the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, PR China.
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Yu
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Ma
authors: Yingbin
authors: Y
authors: Xiao
authors: Qingjun
authors: Q
authors: Yang
authors: Huali
authors: H
authors: Kang
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Zhen
authors: Lang
authors: L
authors: Yu
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000235:genetics*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000235:genetics; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004452:Echocardiography; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005355:Fibrosis; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000235:genetics*; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C526316:CCN2 protein, rat; D016207:Cytokines; C520013:Klf15 protein, rat; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C557977:myocardin-related transcription factor-A, rat; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D003094:Collagen