Elevated circulating Krüppel-like factor 4 level as a novel independent marker of the proatherogenic risk in patients with psoriasis: a preliminary study

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a transcription factor of anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic properties not studied in psoriasis yet.

To analyze the clinical value of the serum KLF4 level in psoriatics and elucidate the interplay between disease activity, metabolic or inflammatory parameters and systemic therapy.

The study enrolled thirty-four psoriatics and fifteen healthy subjects. Blood samples were collected before and after twelve weeks of treatment with methotrexate or acitretin. Serum KLF4 levels were measured using immune-enzymatic method.

Serum KLF4 levels in psoriatic patients did not statistically differ comparing to the controls (p > 0.05). However, in severe psoriasis, KLF4 was significantly higher than in healthy ones before treatment and normalized after treatment to baseline levels of controls (p < 0.05, p > 0.05, respectively). KLF4 positively correlated with body mass index (p = 0.038) but not with psoriasis severity, nor inflammatory or metabolic markers. Interestingly, many pro-atherogenic parameters were shown as variables independently predicting the levels of KLF4. No significant effect of three-month systemic treatment on KLF4 was found.

KLF4 may be a novel independent indicator of the proatherogenic risk in psoriatics, especially with a severe form or obesity.