Krüppel-like factor 2 promotes liver steatosis through upregulation of CD36

The Krüppel-like factor (KLF) family of transcription factors regulates diverse biological processes that include proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, development, and responses to external stress. In the present study, we aim to investigate the roles of KLF2 in hepatic steatosis. Our results showed that mRNA and protein levels of KLF2 were significantly elevated in livers from obese mice. Adenoviruses-mediated overexpression of KLF2 induced accumulation of triglycerides in C57BL/6 mice, whereas KLF2 silencing ameliorates hepatosteatosis in ob/ob mice. At the molecular level, our data established CD36 as a novel transcriptional target of KLF2. KLF2 upregulated CD36 expression through a consensus binding site on its proximal promoter region. Additionally, the steatotic effect of KLF2 was dramatically inhibited in CD36-null mice. Therefore, our study reveals a novel link between KLF2-induced hepatic triglyceride accumulation and the expression of CD36.