↓ Skip to main content

PLOS

Krüppel-Like Factor 2 Is Required for Normal Mouse Cardiac Development

Overview of attention for article published in PLOS ONE, February 2013
Altmetric Badge

Mentioned by

twitter
1 X user
facebook
2 Facebook pages

Citations

dimensions_citation
44 Dimensions

Readers on

mendeley
55 Mendeley
citeulike
1 CiteULike
Title
Krüppel-Like Factor 2 Is Required for Normal Mouse Cardiac Development
Published in
PLOS ONE, February 2013
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0054891
Pubmed ID
Authors

Aditi R. Chiplunkar, Tina K. Lung, Yousef Alhashem, Benjamin A. Koppenhaver, Fadi N. Salloum, Rakesh C. Kukreja, Jack L. Haar, Joyce A. Lloyd

Abstract

Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) is expressed in endothelial cells in the developing heart, particularly in areas of high shear stress, such as the atrioventricular (AV) canal. KLF2 ablation leads to myocardial thinning, high output cardiac failure and death by mouse embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) in a mixed genetic background. This work identifies an earlier and more fundamental role for KLF2 in mouse cardiac development in FVB/N mice. FVB/N KLF2-/- embryos die earlier, by E11.5. E9.5 FVB/N KLF2-/- hearts have multiple, disorganized cell layers lining the AV cushions, the primordia of the AV valves, rather than the normal single layer. By E10.5, traditional and endothelial-specific FVB/N KLF2-/- AV cushions are hypocellular, suggesting that the cells accumulating at the AV canal have a defect in endothelial to mesenchymal transformation (EMT). E10.5 FVB/N KLF2-/- hearts have reduced glycosaminoglycans in the cardiac jelly, correlating with the reduced EMT. However, the number of mesenchymal cells migrating from FVB/N KLF2-/- AV explants into a collagen matrix is reduced considerably compared to wild-type, suggesting that the EMT defect is not due solely to abnormal cardiac jelly. Echocardiography of E10.5 FVB/N KLF2-/- embryos indicates that they have abnormal heart function compared to wild-type. E10.5 C57BL/6 KLF2-/- hearts have largely normal AV cushions. However, E10.5 FVB/N and C57BL/6 KLF2-/- embryos have a delay in the formation of the atrial septum that is not observed in a defined mixed background. KLF2 ablation results in reduced Sox9, UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (Ugdh), Gata4 and Tbx5 mRNA in FVB/N AV canals. KLF2 binds to the Gata4, Tbx5 and Ugdh promoters in chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, indicating that KLF2 could directly regulate these genes. In conclusion, KLF2-/- heart phenotypes are genetic background-dependent. KLF2 plays a role in EMT through its regulation of important cardiovascular genes.

X Demographics

X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profile of 1 X user who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 55 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
United Kingdom 1 2%
Germany 1 2%
Unknown 53 96%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 17 31%
Researcher 10 18%
Student > Master 7 13%
Student > Bachelor 5 9%
Student > Doctoral Student 4 7%
Other 6 11%
Unknown 6 11%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 19 35%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 13 24%
Medicine and Dentistry 9 16%
Engineering 6 11%
Immunology and Microbiology 1 2%
Other 3 5%
Unknown 4 7%