Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Improved Swiss-rolling Technique for Intestinal Tissue Preparation for Immunohistochemical and Immunofluorescent Analyses
07:42

Improved Swiss-rolling Technique for Intestinal Tissue Preparation for Immunohistochemical and Immunofluorescent Analyses

Published on: July 13, 2016

Identification of Krüppel-like factor 4 as a potential tumor suppressor gene in colorectal cancer

Weidong Zhao1, Irfan M Hisamuddin, Mandayam O Nandan

  • 1Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

Oncogene
|January 16, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a cell cycle inhibitor. Reduced KLF4 levels and genetic alterations in colorectal cancer (CRC) suggest it acts as a tumor suppressor gene in CRC development.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) functions as a cell cycle inhibitor.
  • The KLF4 gene is located on chromosome 9q and has shown allelic loss in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of KLF4 in colorectal cancer.
  • To determine if KLF4 functions as a tumor suppressor gene in CRC.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative analysis of KLF4 mRNA and protein levels in CRC tissues and cell lines.
  • Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis using polymorphic DNA markers.
  • Analysis of KLF4 gene promoter methylation and point mutations.
  • Assessment of KLF4's ability to activate the p21(WAF1/Cip1) promoter.

Main Results:

  • KLF4 mRNA levels were significantly reduced (52%) in CRC tissues compared to normal tissues.
  • KLF4 mRNA and protein were lower in CRC cell lines than in normal colonic epithelial cells.
  • Evidence of LOH at the KLF4 locus was found in CRC specimens and cell lines.
  • Hypermethylation of the KLF4 5'-untranslated region and point mutations in the open-reading frame were observed in CRC.
  • Mutations in KLF4 resulted in diminished activation of the p21(WAF1/Cip1) promoter.

Conclusions:

  • KLF4 expression is frequently downregulated in colorectal cancer.
  • Genetic alterations including LOH, hypermethylation, and point mutations affect KLF4 in CRC.
  • These findings support KLF4's role as a potential tumor suppressor gene in colorectal cancer development.

More Related Videos

Fluorescence-based Monitoring of PAD4 Activity via a Pro-fluorescence Substrate Analog08:37

Fluorescence-based Monitoring of PAD4 Activity via a Pro-fluorescence Substrate Analog

Published on: November 5, 2014

Discovery of Driver Genes in Colorectal HT29-derived Cancer Stem-Like Tumorspheres06:52

Discovery of Driver Genes in Colorectal HT29-derived Cancer Stem-Like Tumorspheres

Published on: July 22, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions01:12

Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a superfamily...