Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a transcription factor with critical roles in many physiological and pathophysiological processes, including wound healing and cancer development, by regulating the expression of an array of genes. KLF4 is expressed in a variety of cell types, such as epithelial cells, endothelial cells, stromal cells, stem cells, and immune cells. While extensive studies showed an important function of KLF4 in epithelial cells, endothelial cells, stem cells, and stromal cells, emerging evidence suggests that KLF4-expressing immune cells are an integral part of inflammation, tissue homeostasis, and disease development. In addition, how KLF4 functions differently in immune cells from that in other cells at a molecular level needs more investigation.
Recently, KLF4 was found to mediate efferocytosis, a process that effectively clears apoptotic cells by professional and non-professional phagocytes such as macrophages. Interestingly this KLF4-mediated efferocytosis is responsible for the enhanced injury resolution by trained immunity of alveolar macrophages. Trained immunity is a relatively new concept that defines the ability of the innate immune system to form immunological memory and a mode of long-lasting protection. Whether KLF4 has a broad role beyond macrophages in the trained immunity remains unknown. To goal of the current collection is to address the specific functions of KLF4 in the immune system, in the context of regular development and disease progression including trained immunity, inflammation, and cancer development.
In the current proposal, several aspects of KLF4 in innate and adaptive immune cells will be discussed to explore specific functions of KLF4 in immunology-related processes. The topics include KLF4 in trained immunity, KLF4 in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells, KLF4 in monocyte development, the role of KLF4 expressing myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cancer development, the function of KLF4 in leukemia, KLF4 in macrophage polarization, KLF4 in T cell and B cell development, reprogramming B cells, circadian expression in aged macrophages, and KLF4-related TGF-β1 and Notch signaling transduction pathways in immune cells. Article types covering the current topics will include review articles, original research articles, and letters to the editors. We expect that most of the collection will be review articles, followed by original research articles and letters to editors.
Keywords:
KLF4, immunology, hematopoietic stem cells, trained immunity, myeloid lineage, T cells, B cells, Mast cells, leukemia
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a transcription factor with critical roles in many physiological and pathophysiological processes, including wound healing and cancer development, by regulating the expression of an array of genes. KLF4 is expressed in a variety of cell types, such as epithelial cells, endothelial cells, stromal cells, stem cells, and immune cells. While extensive studies showed an important function of KLF4 in epithelial cells, endothelial cells, stem cells, and stromal cells, emerging evidence suggests that KLF4-expressing immune cells are an integral part of inflammation, tissue homeostasis, and disease development. In addition, how KLF4 functions differently in immune cells from that in other cells at a molecular level needs more investigation.
Recently, KLF4 was found to mediate efferocytosis, a process that effectively clears apoptotic cells by professional and non-professional phagocytes such as macrophages. Interestingly this KLF4-mediated efferocytosis is responsible for the enhanced injury resolution by trained immunity of alveolar macrophages. Trained immunity is a relatively new concept that defines the ability of the innate immune system to form immunological memory and a mode of long-lasting protection. Whether KLF4 has a broad role beyond macrophages in the trained immunity remains unknown. To goal of the current collection is to address the specific functions of KLF4 in the immune system, in the context of regular development and disease progression including trained immunity, inflammation, and cancer development.
In the current proposal, several aspects of KLF4 in innate and adaptive immune cells will be discussed to explore specific functions of KLF4 in immunology-related processes. The topics include KLF4 in trained immunity, KLF4 in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells, KLF4 in monocyte development, the role of KLF4 expressing myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cancer development, the function of KLF4 in leukemia, KLF4 in macrophage polarization, KLF4 in T cell and B cell development, reprogramming B cells, circadian expression in aged macrophages, and KLF4-related TGF-β1 and Notch signaling transduction pathways in immune cells. Article types covering the current topics will include review articles, original research articles, and letters to the editors. We expect that most of the collection will be review articles, followed by original research articles and letters to editors.
Keywords:
KLF4, immunology, hematopoietic stem cells, trained immunity, myeloid lineage, T cells, B cells, Mast cells, leukemia
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.