Kruppel-like factor 2 regulates dendritic cell activation in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Dendritic cells (DCs) activation is important in atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease, but the mechanisms regulating activation of dendritic cells remain largely unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) in the proinflammatory activation of DCs in acute coronary syndrome.

In this study, the expression of CD80 and KLF2 was detected in DCs in normal health controls, patients with stable angina (SA), and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Our study found that compared with normal control and SA, KLF2 expression in DCs is reduced in patients with ACS. Moreover, the surface expression of CD80 was increased in ACS. In vitro experiment, we found that ox-LDL could increase CD80 expression and decrease KLF2 expression. Furthermore, down-regulated KLF2 could in turn increase CD80 expression via NF-κB pathway.

These observations identify KLF2 as a novel negative regulator of DC function and it may play an essential role in DC activation in ACS.