Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 27, 2025

Impedance-based Real-time Measurement of Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion
09:23

Impedance-based Real-time Measurement of Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion

Published on: April 2, 2020

6.7K

Recent Discoveries on the Involvement of Krüppel-Like Factor 4 in the Most Common Cancer Types

Agnieszka Taracha-Wisniewska1, Grzegorz Kotarba1, Sebastian Dworkin2

  • 1Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa St., 02-096 Warsaw, Poland.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|December 3, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a vital transcription factor in stem cells and cancer. Its complex regulation impacts tumor suppression, drug response, and tissue homeostasis, requiring nuanced study beyond simple protein levels.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor.
  • KLF4 is recognized for its role in inducing pluripotent stem cells.
  • KLF4 also has multifaceted roles in cancer, generally acting as a tumor suppressor.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize and analyze the latest findings on KLF4 in cancer.
  • To highlight the complex regulatory mechanisms of KLF4.
  • To discuss KLF4's involvement in tissue homeostasis and malignancy progression.

Main Methods:

  • Review and analysis of existing scientific literature on KLF4.
  • Examination of KLF4's regulatory networks, including transcription, splicing, miRNA, and post-translational modifications.
  • Investigation of KLF4's role across different tumor subtypes and the tumor microenvironment.

Main Results:

  • KLF4's function is intricately regulated at multiple molecular levels, making simple expression assays potentially misleading.
  • KLF4 exhibits context-dependent roles, such as suppressing indolent prostate tumors but being absent in aggressive ones.
  • KLF4 influences drug responses and the tumor microenvironment, with increasing data on its upstream and downstream effectors.

Conclusions:

  • KLF4 is a critical regulator of tissue homeostasis, cellular integrity, and cancer progression.
  • Understanding KLF4's complex regulatory network is essential for accurate assessment of its role in cancer.
  • Further research into KLF4's multifaceted functions is crucial for advancing cancer therapy and understanding malignancy.
Keywords:
KLF4breast cancercolorectal cancergastric cancerhepatocellular carcinomalung cancermicroenvironmentprostate cancersubcellular localizationtranscription factor

More Related Videos

Oncogene Expression Analysis with Alterations in pH in a Pancreatic Ductal Cell Line06:24

Oncogene Expression Analysis with Alterations in pH in a Pancreatic Ductal Cell Line

Published on: April 11, 2025

712
Identification of Transcription Factor Regulators using Medium-Throughput Screening of Arrayed Libraries and a Dual-Luciferase-Based Reporter11:32

Identification of Transcription Factor Regulators using Medium-Throughput Screening of Arrayed Libraries and a Dual-Luciferase-Based Reporter

Published on: March 27, 2020

7.2K

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...
4.9K
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells01:06

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different cell types. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are terminally differentiated; however, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they dedifferentiate and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Somatic...
4.9K
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...
6.8K
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
2.7K
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
7.4K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.2K