Affinage

KLF7

Krueppel-like factor 7 · UniProt O75840

Length
302 aa
Mass
33.4 kDa
Annotated
2026-04-28
100 papers in source corpus 41 papers cited in narrative 41 extracted findings

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

KLF7 is a Krüppel-like zinc-finger transcription factor that binds CACCC/GC-rich elements in promoters and enhancers to activate or repress a broad repertoire of target genes, thereby governing neuronal morphogenesis, metabolic balance, stem/progenitor cell fate, inflammatory signaling, and cancer progression. In the nervous system, KLF7 activates p21/p27, TrkA (synergistically with Brn3a), TrkB, L1/OMP, AHNAK/AHNAK2, and Draxin to drive neurite outgrowth, axon guidance, and hippocampal neurogenesis, as shown by knockout and conditional-knockout mouse models with rescue experiments (PMID:15964824, PMID:17011544, PMID:40762575, PMID:38924469). Beyond neurons, KLF7 directly transactivates metabolic genes (PFKL, ACADL) to control the glycolysis–fatty acid oxidation balance in cardiomyocytes, activates PKCζ/IL-6 and CCL2 in adipocytes downstream of TLR4/NF-κB and GPR40/120 signaling, maintains satellite cell quiescence through acetylation-dependent DNA binding (Lys227/231), sustains corneal progenitor identity by antagonizing KLF4, and can replace KLF4 in reprogramming to naive pluripotency (PMID:36810848, PMID:37342904, PMID:26930448, PMID:28916725, PMID:41094238). KLF7 protein turnover is regulated by GSK-3-mediated phosphorylation of a Cdc4 phosphodegron, which triggers SCF-Fbxw7-dependent polyubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation (PMID:30838725).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 19 steps
  1. 2001 Medium

    Whether KLF7 controls cell proliferation was unknown; overexpression in fibroblasts and neuroblastoma cells showed it represses cyclin D1, activates p21, and induces G1 arrest, establishing KLF7 as a cell-cycle-exit factor during differentiation.

    Evidence Forced overexpression in cultured cells with gene expression analysis

    PMID:11336497

    Open questions at the time
    • No direct promoter binding demonstrated
    • Overexpression system may not reflect physiological levels
  2. 2005 High

    Whether KLF7 functions in neuronal development in vivo was unresolved; Klf7 knockout mice exhibited neurite outgrowth deficits and axonal misprojections, and KLF7 was shown to directly activate p21 and p27 in olfactory neurons, linking Cip/Kip CDK inhibitors to neuronal morphogenesis.

    Evidence Klf7 knockout mice, cotransfection/reporter assays, in situ hybridization, immunoblot

    PMID:15964824

    Open questions at the time
    • Downstream cytoskeletal effectors not identified
    • Whether p21/p27 are the sole mediators of axon phenotype unclear
  3. 2006 High

    The transcriptional targets mediating KLF7's axonal outgrowth function and its cooperating partners were unknown; KLF7 was found to activate OMP and L1 promoters via CACCC motifs and to synergize with Brn3a on the TrkA enhancer, with double-knockout mice confirming genetic cooperation for nociceptive neuron survival.

    Evidence Microarray of Klf7−/− mice, reporter assays, EMSA, Brn3a/Klf7 double-KO mice

    PMID:17011544 PMID:17123745

    Open questions at the time
    • Structural basis of Brn3a–KLF7 synergy uncharacterized
    • Genome-wide set of direct KLF7 targets in sensory neurons not mapped
  4. 2006 High

    How KLF7 transcriptional activity is modulated by cofactors was unknown; the F-box protein MoKA was identified as a nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling coactivator of KLF7, establishing a regulatory mechanism for tuning KLF7 output.

    Evidence Co-IP, GAL4 chimeric transcriptional assays, CRM1 inhibition

    PMID:16990251

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether MoKA targets KLF7 for ubiquitylation or purely coactivates was not resolved
    • In vivo relevance of MoKA–KLF7 interaction not tested
  5. 2007 High

    Whether KLF7 regulates neurotrophic receptor expression beyond TrkA was open; KLF7 was shown to bind TCaRE3 in the TRKB promoter and mediate Ca²⁺/cAMP-stimulated TRKB transcription, broadening KLF7's role to multiple Trk receptors.

    Evidence EMSA, promoter mutagenesis, reporter assays in neurons

    PMID:17553693

    Open questions at the time
    • In vivo requirement for KLF7 in TrkB expression not tested
    • Whether KLF7 also regulates TrkC unknown
  6. 2010 High

    KLF7's role was thought to be neuron-specific; loss-of-function studies revealed it is also required for mesodermal differentiation (cardiomyocytes, adipocytes, osteoblasts) and neural stem cell maturation, establishing KLF7 as a broad lineage-commitment factor.

    Evidence shRNA silencing and KO-derived cells across multiple lineage differentiation assays

    PMID:20580711

    Open questions at the time
    • Direct transcriptional targets in mesodermal lineages not identified
    • Redundancy with other KLFs in these contexts not assessed
  7. 2016 High

    How KLF7 activity is post-translationally regulated at the DNA-binding level was unknown; acetylation of Lys227/231 in the zinc-finger domain was shown to be required for KLF7-mediated satellite cell quiescence downstream of TGF-β and Notch3 signaling.

    Evidence Acetylation mutagenesis, shRNA knockdown, flow cytometry, pathway inhibition in muscle stem cells

    PMID:26930448

    Open questions at the time
    • Acetyltransferase responsible not identified
    • Whether acetylation modulates DNA-binding affinity or partner recruitment unclear
  8. 2017 High

    Whether KLF7 and KLF4 share or antagonize each other's chromatin targets was unknown; ChIP-seq in corneal epithelium showed KLF7 occupies many of the same enhancers as KLF4 with opposing effects, maintaining the progenitor state.

    Evidence ChIP-seq for KLF7 and histone marks, knockdown/overexpression, reporter assays

    PMID:28916725

    Open questions at the time
    • Mechanism of opposing regulation at shared sites not elucidated
    • Whether this antagonism generalizes to other epithelia untested
  9. 2019 High

    How KLF7 protein levels are controlled was unresolved; GSK-3-mediated phosphorylation of a Cdc4 phosphodegron was shown to enable SCF-Fbxw7-dependent polyubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation, establishing the primary turnover mechanism for KLF7.

    Evidence Differential proteomics (DiPIUS), Co-IP, ubiquitylation assay, CPD mutagenesis, GSK-3 inhibitor

    PMID:30838725

    Open questions at the time
    • Phosphorylation sites not mapped by mass spectrometry
    • Physiological contexts where Fbxw7 regulation dominates not defined
  10. 2020 High

    Whether KLF7 directly coordinates metabolic gene programs was unclear; cardiac-specific KO and overexpression revealed KLF7 simultaneously activates PFKL (glycolysis) and ACADL (fatty acid oxidation), with imbalance causing distinct forms of cardiac hypertrophy.

    Evidence Cardiac-specific KO/OE mice, ChIP-seq/ChIP-qPCR, metabolic flux, genetic rescue

    PMID:36810848

    Open questions at the time
    • How KLF7 differentially regulates two opposing metabolic pathways at the chromatin level unknown
    • Whether metabolic role extends to skeletal muscle untested
  11. 2020 High

    KLF7's role in cancer was emerging but mechanistically vague; knockdown in PDAC cells revealed KLF7 sustains ISG expression and DLG3-dependent Golgi integrity required for glycosylation and secretion of cancer-promoting chemokines.

    Evidence shRNA knockdown, xenograft models, Golgi fragmentation imaging, pathway analysis

    PMID:32430335

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether KLF7 directly binds DLG3 or ISG promoters not confirmed by ChIP
    • Generalizability across cancer types not established
  12. 2022 Medium

    Whether KLF7 participates in epigenetic and microRNA regulatory cascades was unexplored; KLF7 was found to activate HDAC4 transcription, which in turn silences miR-148b-3p via histone deacetylation, establishing a KLF7–HDAC4–miRNA axis governing macrophage glucose metabolism.

    Evidence ChIP, dual-luciferase, Seahorse metabolic flux, HDAC4 rescue

    PMID:35439761

    Open questions at the time
    • Single-cell-type study; generality of this cascade unknown
    • No independent validation of KLF7's direct binding to HDAC4 promoter by a second method
  13. 2022 Medium

    Upstream regulation of KLF7 itself was poorly defined; NF-κB p65 was shown to bind the KLF7 promoter downstream of GPR40/120 activation by palmitic acid, placing KLF7 within the free-fatty-acid sensing pathway in adipocytes.

    Evidence ChIP for p65 at KLF7 promoter, luciferase assay, GPR blocker experiments in vivo and in vitro

    PMID:35443706

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether other transcription factors co-regulate KLF7 promoter activity not explored
    • Quantitative relationship between FFA concentration and KLF7 levels not established
  14. 2023 High

    The downstream inflammatory effectors of KLF7 in adipose tissue were incompletely defined; KLF7 was shown to directly activate PKCζ transcription, leading to NF-κB activation and IL-6 production, validated in fat-conditional KO mice.

    Evidence ChIP, luciferase, fat-conditional KO mice, Western blot

    PMID:37342904

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether KLF7-PKCζ axis operates in other inflammatory cell types unknown
    • Contribution to systemic insulin resistance not directly tested
  15. 2023 High

    Whether KLF7 participates in oncogenic positive-feedback signaling was unknown; an HMGB1–KLF7–TLR4 loop was identified where KLF7 transactivates both TLR4 and PTK2, amplifying metastatic signaling in HCC.

    Evidence ChIP, luciferase, AAV-mediated KLF7 knockdown, orthotopic xenograft models, pharmacological inhibitor combination

    PMID:37554278

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether disrupting the feedback loop is therapeutically viable not tested in preclinical drug studies
    • Contribution of PTK2 vs. TLR4 to metastasis not individually quantified
  16. 2024 Medium

    KLF7's expanding oncogenic target repertoire was documented through identification of direct transcriptional targets in multiple cancer types — IGF2BP2 via super-enhancer binding in HNSCC, PDGFB in colon adenocarcinoma, ALKBH5 controlling m6A/ferroptosis, SLC1A5 driving tryptophan/serotonin biosynthesis in HCC, ITGA2 maintaining stemness in OSCC, and others — establishing KLF7 as a versatile transcriptional driver of diverse tumor-promoting programs.

    Evidence ChIP-seq, ChIP-qPCR, dual-luciferase, CRISPR/Cas9 SE deactivation, MeRIP, metabolite quantification, xenograft models across multiple labs

    PMID:38164176 PMID:38221626 PMID:38443991 PMID:39097779 PMID:39435423 PMID:39648156 PMID:40316546

    Open questions at the time
    • Most cancer targets studied in single cancer types; cross-tissue generality uncertain
    • No genome-wide systematic identification of direct vs. indirect cancer targets
    • Therapeutic targeting strategies for KLF7 in cancer unexplored
  17. 2025 High

    KLF7's neural role was extended beyond peripheral neurons to hippocampal development; conditional KO disrupted neurogenesis and granule cell migration, and Draxin was identified as the key direct transcriptional target mediating this function, with rescue by Draxin overexpression.

    Evidence Emx1-Cre conditional KO mice, transcriptomic profiling, Draxin overexpression rescue, behavioral testing

    PMID:40762575

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether KLF7 regulates Draxin in other brain regions not tested
    • Behavioral consequences of adult-specific KLF7 loss unknown
  18. 2025 High

    Whether KLF7 functions in pluripotency was unexplored; KLF7 was shown to replace KLF4 in OSKM reprogramming and to drive naive pluripotency markers in human PSCs, establishing it as a pluripotency-associated factor.

    Evidence Reprogramming assays, CRISPRi silencing, transcriptome analysis, naive pluripotency assays

    PMID:41094238

    Open questions at the time
    • Genome-wide targets of KLF7 in PSCs not mapped by ChIP
    • Whether KLF7 is required for maintaining naive pluripotency or only for its induction unclear
  19. 2025 Medium

    KLF7's upstream epigenetic regulation was clarified: MLL1 deposits H3K4me3 at the KLF7 promoter, and NRF1 directly activates KLF7 transcription, establishing defined input pathways controlling KLF7 expression levels.

    Evidence ChIP for H3K4me3 and MLL1/NRF1 at KLF7 promoter, dual-luciferase, Co-IP for USP7-NRF1

    PMID:39007840 PMID:41483084

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether MLL1 and NRF1 operate in the same or distinct cell types not resolved
    • No loss-of-function validation of MLL1 at KLF7 locus in vivo

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • Despite the extensive catalog of KLF7 direct targets, several key mechanistic questions remain: the structural basis for KLF7's context-dependent activation vs. repression at different promoters, the identity of acetyltransferases and deacetylases controlling its DNA-binding-domain acetylation, and whether KLF7 can be therapeutically targeted in cancer or metabolic disease.
  • No crystal structure of KLF7 zinc-finger domain bound to DNA
  • Acetyltransferase for Lys227/231 not identified
  • No systematic comparison of activating vs. repressive KLF7 complexes at the chromatin level

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0140110 transcription regulator activity 11 GO:0003677 DNA binding 8
Localization
GO:0005634 nucleus 4
Pathway
R-HSA-74160 Gene expression (Transcription) 10 R-HSA-1643685 Disease 7 R-HSA-162582 Signal Transduction 5 R-HSA-168256 Immune System 5 R-HSA-1266738 Developmental Biology 4 R-HSA-1430728 Metabolism 3 R-HSA-1640170 Cell Cycle 3
Partners
BRN3AFBXW7MLL1MOKANRF1PU.1

Evidence

Reading pass · 41 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
2005 KLF7 transcriptionally activates the p21waf/cip and p27kip1 genes in olfactory sensory neurons; loss of KLF7 in mice causes neurite outgrowth deficits and axonal misprojections, demonstrating its role in neuronal morphogenesis through regulation of Cip/Kip CDK inhibitors that also promote cytoskeletal dynamics. Cotransfection/reporter assays, in situ hybridization, immunoblot, Klf7 knockout mice Molecular and cellular biology High 15964824
2001 KLF7 overexpression in fibroblasts and neuroblastoma cells represses cyclin D1, activates p21, and causes G1 growth arrest, consistent with a role in cell cycle exit during neuronal differentiation. Forced overexpression in cultured cells, gene expression analysis Developmental biology Medium 11336497
2006 KLF7 directly activates the promoters of OMP (olfactory marker protein) and the adhesion molecule L1 by binding to CACCC motifs, linking KLF7 to axonal growth and cell adhesion programs in olfactory sensory neurons. DNA microarray of Klf7-/- mice, cell transfection reporter assays, promoter binding analysis Gene High 17123745
2006 KLF7 and Brn3a synergistically activate the TrkA enhancer in vitro, and cooperation between these two transcription factors is required for endogenous TrkA gene expression and survival of nociceptive sensory neurons in vivo. In vitro reporter assays, Brn3a/Klf7 double-knockout mice, immunohistochemistry Developmental biology High 17011544
2006 MoKA, an F-box-containing protein, interacts with KLF7 and stimulates its transcriptional activity; MoKA shuttles between nucleus and cytoplasm via distinct NLS and NES sequences including a CRM1-dependent leucine-rich export signal. Co-IP, forced expression of fusion proteins, pharmacological inhibition of CRM1, GAL4 chimeric transcriptional assays Nucleic acids research High 16990251
2007 KLF7 binds a novel regulatory element (TCaRE3) in the TRKB promoter, which is required for Ca2+- and cAMP-stimulated TRKB transcription in neurons; this element is 100% conserved between mouse and human TRKB promoters. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), promoter mutagenesis, reporter assays in neurons Molecular and cellular neurosciences High 17553693
2010 KLF7 is required for in vitro differentiation of neuroectodermal (PC12, neural stem cells) and mesodermal (ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes, MEF adipogenic/osteogenic) lineages; shRNA silencing correlates with downregulation of MAP2 and TrkA in PC12 cells and BLBP/FABP7 in neural stem cells. shRNA-mediated silencing, KO mice, differentiation assays, immunostaining Experimental cell research High 20580711
2016 KLF7 functions as a mediator of TGF-β and Notch3 signaling to maintain satellite cell quiescence; knockdown of KLF7 promotes satellite cell activation, and acetylation of Lys227 and/or Lys231 in the KLF7 DNA-binding domain is required for its quiescence-regulating activity. shRNA knockdown, overexpression, flow cytometry, acetylation mutagenesis, Notch/TGF-β pathway inhibition Stem cells High 26930448
2017 KLF7 promotes the corneal progenitor cell state and antagonizes KLF4-mediated corneal epithelial differentiation; ChIP-seq showed KLF7 binds corneal epithelial enhancers enriched for KLF motifs and occupies many of the same targets as KLF4 with opposing effects. ChIP-seq (H3K4me3, H3K4me1, H3K27ac), KLF7 knockdown/overexpression, reporter assays The Journal of biological chemistry High 28916725
2018 KLF7 transcriptionally activates IL-6 expression in adipocytes by directly binding the IL-6 promoter region, acting downstream of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway activated by palmitic acid. Luciferase reporter assay, siRNA knockdown, Western blot, qRT-PCR Mediators of inflammation Medium 30598636
2019 KLF7 is ubiquitylated and targeted for proteasomal degradation by the SCF-Fbxw7 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex; this requires GSK-3-mediated phosphorylation of a Cdc4 phosphodegron (CPD) in KLF7. Fbxw7 overexpression down-regulates p21Cip1, a transcriptional target of KLF7. DiPIUS differential proteomics, Co-IP, polyubiquitylation assay, CPD mutagenesis, GSK-3 inhibitor treatment, protein stability assay Genes to cells High 30838725
2019 KLF7 transcriptionally activates argininosuccinate lyase (ASL), promoting polyamine biosynthesis via the urea cycle and supporting glioma cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. KLF7 knockdown/overexpression, reporter assays, metabolite analysis, xenograft tumor models Biochemical and biophysical research communications Medium 31018905
2020 KLF7 simultaneously transcriptionally targets PFKL (rate-limiting glycolysis enzyme) and ACADL (key fatty acid oxidation enzyme), and cardiac-specific KLF7 knockout or overexpression induces distinct forms of cardiac hypertrophy by shifting metabolic balance; knockdown of PFKL or overexpression of ACADL partially rescues KLF7-deficient hypertrophy. Cardiac-specific KO and overexpression mice, ChIP-seq/ChIP-qPCR, metabolic flux analysis, genetic rescue experiments Nature communications High 36810848
2020 KLF7 knockdown in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells inhibits IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression and downregulates DLG3, causing Golgi complex fragmentation and reduced protein glycosylation, leading to decreased secretion of cancer-promoting chemokines and inhibited tumor growth and metastasis. shRNA knockdown, cell culture, xenograft mouse models, pathway analysis Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 32430335
2021 KLF7 transcriptionally activates VPS35, which then interacts with CCDC85C (confirmed by Co-IP) to activate β-catenin signaling, promoting HCC cell proliferation and invasion. ChIP-qPCR, luciferase reporter assays, Co-IP, β-catenin inhibitor rescue, xenograft models Cell & bioscience Medium 33858520
2022 KLF7 binds the HDAC4 promoter to activate HDAC4 transcription; HDAC4 then reduces histone acetylation at the miR-148b promoter to suppress miR-148b-3p, thereby promoting NCOR1 transcription and limiting glucose metabolic reprogramming in macrophages. Dual-luciferase assay, ChIP assay, Seahorse metabolic flux analysis, HDAC4 rescue experiments Gerontology Medium 35439761
2022 KLF7 promotes osteoclast differentiation by suppressing Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression; ChIP assay confirmed KLF7 binds the HO-1 promoter, and HO-1 overexpression reversed the KLF7-mediated promotion of osteoclastogenesis. ChIP assay, TRAP staining, Western blot, rescue experiments with HO-1 agonist Hemin Frontiers in genetics Medium 35419025
2022 p65 (NF-κB subunit) transcriptionally upregulates KLF7 expression downstream of GPR40/120 activation by palmitic acid; ChIP assay confirmed p65 binding to the KLF7 promoter, establishing the GPRs/NF-κB/KLF7 pathway in adipocytes and liver cells. Luciferase reporter gene assay, ChIP assay, GPR blocker experiments in vivo and in vitro Nutrition & diabetes Medium 35443706
2023 KLF7 transcriptionally activates PKCζ expression in adipocytes (confirmed by luciferase reporter and ChIP assays), leading to activation of the NF-κB pathway and IL-6 production; fat-conditional KLF7 KO mice show decreased PKCζ, p-IκB, p-p65, and IL-6 in adipose tissue. Luciferase reporter assay, ChIP assay, fat-conditional KO mice, Western blot FASEB journal High 37342904
2023 HMGB1 upregulates KLF7 expression through the TLR4/RAGE-PI3K-AKT-NF-κB pathway; KLF7 in turn transactivates TLR4 and PTK2 (FAK), forming an HMGB1-KLF7-TLR4 positive feedback loop that promotes HCC metastasis. Luciferase reporter assay, ChIP assay, AAV-mediated KLF7 knockdown, orthotopic xenograft models, pharmacological inhibitor combination Theranostics High 37554278
2024 KLF7 directly transcriptionally activates IGF2BP2 by binding to its promoter and super-enhancer regions in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, as demonstrated by ChIP-qPCR and dual-luciferase reporter assays; CRISPR/Cas9-mediated SE deactivation reduced IGF2BP2 transcription. H3K27Ac ChIP-seq, ChIP-qPCR, dual-luciferase reporter assay, CRISPR/Cas9 SE deactivation, orthotopic xenograft models Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research High 38443991
2024 KLF7 directly binds the PDGFB promoter (binding site TGGGTGGAG) to transcriptionally activate PDGFB secretion, which then promotes colon adenocarcinoma progression through PDGFRβ-activated MAPK/ERK, PI3K/AKT, and JAK/STAT3 pathways. ChIP assay, luciferase reporter assay, in vitro and in vivo tumor models, pharmacological PDGFRβ inhibition with sunitinib International journal of biological sciences Medium 38164176
2024 KLF7 transcriptionally activates ALKBH5 (an m6A demethylase), which decreases m6A modification on ACSL4 mRNA, reducing ACSL4 protein levels and inhibiting ferroptosis in human microvascular endothelial cells exposed to ox-LDL. Dual-luciferase assay, ChIP assay, MeRIP (m6A immunoprecipitation), ferroptosis marker analysis Cytotechnology Medium 39435423
2024 USP7 stabilizes NRF1 protein by deubiquitination (confirmed by Co-IP); NRF1 then binds the KLF7 promoter to enhance its transcription (confirmed by ChIP and dual-luciferase assay), thereby protecting neurons from inflammation and apoptosis. Co-IP, ChIP assay, dual-luciferase reporter assay, Western blot, cell viability assays Neurological research Medium 39007840
2024 KLF7 promotes neuroblastoma differentiation by directly binding the promoters of AHNAK, AHNAK2, and GDPD5 (confirmed by ChIP), upregulating their expression and altering GTPase activity; KLF7 acts independently of and cooperatively with the retinoic acid pathway. ChIP assay, promoter reporter assays, neuroblastoma differentiation assays, enhancer profiling The FEBS journal Medium 38924469
2024 KLF7 transcriptionally activates SLC1A5 (confirmed by ChIP binding to SLC1A5 promoter), promoting tryptophan uptake and serotonin biosynthesis, which supports HCC cell proliferation and metastasis. ChIP assay, KLF7 knockdown/overexpression, metabolite measurements (tryptophan, serotonin), xenograft tumor models Journal of cellular and molecular medicine Medium 39648156
2024 KLF7 directly binds the CCL2 promoter region and transcriptionally activates CCL2 in bone marrow adipocytes, a process triggered by palmitic acid via GPR40/120 signaling, promoting prostate cancer cell proliferation and invasion. ChIP assay, luciferase reporter assay, conditioned medium experiments, Co-culture assays, in vivo HFD mouse model BMC cancer Medium 38221626
2024 KLF7 directly binds the miR-139-5p promoter to repress its transcription (confirmed by ChIP and dual-luciferase assay), thereby upregulating miR-139-5p's target TPD52 and enhancing colorectal cancer cell invasion and migration. ChIP assay, dual-luciferase reporter assay, siRNA knockdown, in vivo xenograft Cancer biology & therapy Medium 39097779
2024 KLF7 maintains stemness of oral squamous cell carcinoma by directly transcriptionally activating ITGA2 (confirmed by ChIP-seq and dual-luciferase assay); ITGA2 activates PI3K-AKT, MAPK, and Hippo signaling upon binding type I collagen. ChIP-seq, dual-luciferase assay, tumor sphere formation, flow cytometry, in vivo limiting dilution tumorigenicity, ITGA2 inhibitor xenograft experiments Cell death & disease High 40316546
2025 KLF7 orchestrates hippocampal development by transcriptionally activating Draxin (a neural chemorepellent); KLF7 conditional knockout in hippocampal progenitors disrupts neurogenesis and neuronal migration, and Draxin overexpression rescues granule cell migration defects. Conditional KO mice (Emx1-Cre;Klf7F/F), transcriptomic profiling, Draxin overexpression rescue, behavioral testing Development High 40762575
2025 KLF7 represses MKNK2 transcription (confirmed by ChIP and dual-luciferase assay), thereby inhibiting HIF-1 signaling and M1 microglia polarization after ischemic stroke; KLF7 overexpression in vivo ameliorates brain damage after MCAO/R. ChIP assay, dual-luciferase reporter assay, lentiviral overexpression/knockdown in rats, MCAO/R model Brain and behavior Medium 40923147
2025 KLF7 directly transcriptionally activates PPP1R14C by binding its promoter; PPP1R14C inhibits PP1 phosphatase, maintaining CDK1 hyperphosphorylation and promoting lung squamous cell carcinoma proliferation and invasion. ChIP assay, luciferase reporter assay, PP1-CDK1 interaction analysis, CDK1 inhibitor rescue Scientific reports Medium 41699008
2025 KLF7 is expressed in human pluripotent stem cells and can replace KLF4 in OSKM reprogramming to generate iPSCs; KLF7 forced expression in conventional hPSCs induces naive pluripotency markers and enables efficient chemical resetting, while CRISPRi-mediated KLF7 silencing reduces resetting efficiency. Transcription factor-mediated reprogramming, CRISPRi silencing, transcriptome analysis, naive pluripotency assays EMBO reports High 41094238
2025 MLL1 promotes KLF7 transcription through H3K4me3 histone modification at the KLF7 promoter; KLF7 in turn transcriptionally activates USP7 (confirmed by ChIP and dual-luciferase assay), forming a MLL1/KLF7/USP7 axis that facilitates invasion of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis. ChIP assay, dual-luciferase assay, shRNA knockdown, Transwell invasion assay In vitro cellular & developmental biology Medium 41483084
2025 KLF7 promotes KLF7 target gene LOX transcription in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and LOX-driven extracellular matrix crosslinking creates a stiff microenvironment that recruits tumor-associated macrophages and disrupts CD8+ T cell killing. ChIP assay (implied by direct transcriptional activation), in vitro and in vivo tumor models, macrophage recruitment assay Cancer letters Medium 41482204
2025 KLF7 transcriptionally activates LIMK1 (confirmed by ChIP and dual-luciferase assay); LIMK1 then interacts with and phosphorylates SRPK1 (confirmed by GST pull-down and Co-IP), amplifying inflammatory responses in alveolar epithelial cells under LPS-induced injury. ChIP assay, dual-luciferase reporter assay, GST pull-down, Co-IP, ELISA Central-European journal of immunology Medium 42028385
2023 KLF7 promotes IL-6 generation in brown adipocytes downstream of beta-3 adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) signaling; KLF7 knockdown largely blunts ADRB3 agonist-induced IL-6 expression in primary brown adipocytes. ADRB3 agonist treatment, cold stimulation in vivo, KLF7 knockdown in primary brown adipocytes, IL-6 quantification Heliyon Medium 37025783
2021 GNA14 stimulates KLF7 expression in endometrial cancer cells, and KLF7 in turn transcriptionally activates hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2); knockdown of HAS2 reversed the oncogenic effects of KLF7 overexpression. RNA sequencing, Western blot, qRT-PCR, xenograft tumor model, KLF7/HAS2 knockdown rescue BMC cancer Medium 33892667
2025 KLF7 directly binds the PDE4 promoter to transcriptionally repress its expression (confirmed by ChIP and dual-luciferase assay) in granulosa cells, and PDE4 overexpression reverses the KLF7-mediated protection against DHT-induced apoptosis in a PCOS cell model. ChIP assay, dual-luciferase reporter assay, overexpression/knockdown, CCK-8, TUNEL, EdU assays Endocrine connections Medium 41071839
2021 PU.1 directly binds KLF7 (confirmed by Co-IP and FRET assays) and enhances transcription of CDKN3, a downstream KLF7 target gene; PU.1 suppresses preadipocyte differentiation and promotes proliferation, at least partly through this interaction with KLF7. Co-IP, FRET assay, KLF7 ChIP-seq, CDKN3 reporter assay, PU.1 overexpression/knockdown Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica Medium 36647727
2022 KLF7 promotes preadipocyte proliferation by transcriptionally activating CDKN3, which drives G1/S transition via Akt phosphorylation; deletion of the KLF7-binding site in the CDKN3 minimal promoter abolishes this effect. KLF7 ChIP-seq, 5'-truncating promoter mutation analysis, luciferase reporter assay, CDKN3 knockdown/overexpression, flow cytometry, Akt phosphorylation analysis Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica Medium 36269137

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 100 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
2005 Transcription factor KLF7 is important for neuronal morphogenesis in selected regions of the nervous system. Molecular and cellular biology 127 15964824
2001 Developmental expression of mouse Krüppel-like transcription factor KLF7 suggests a potential role in neurogenesis. Developmental biology 91 11336497
2020 KLF7 promotes pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis by up-regulating ISG expression and maintaining Golgi complex integrity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 65 32430335
2013 Klf7 modulates the differentiation and proliferation of chicken preadipocyte. Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica 56 23439665
2022 Obesity-induced elevated palmitic acid promotes inflammation and glucose metabolism disorders through GPRs/NF-κB/KLF7 pathway. Nutrition & diabetes 49 35443706
2018 miR-185 Inhibits the Proliferation and Invasion of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Targeting KLF7. Oncology research 46 29716672
2021 microRNA-204 shuttled by mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes inhibits the migration and invasion of non-small-cell lung cancer cells via the KLF7/AKT/HIF-1α axis. Neoplasma 43 33847133
2006 Identification of genes regulated by transcription factor KLF7 in differentiating olfactory sensory neurons. Gene 43 17123745
2010 Transcription factor KLF7 regulates differentiation of neuroectodermal and mesodermal cell lineages. Experimental cell research 42 20580711
2019 STAT3-induced long noncoding RNA LINC00668 promotes migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer via the miR-193a/KLF7 axis. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie 41 31150989
2023 The KLF7/PFKL/ACADL axis modulates cardiac metabolic remodelling during cardiac hypertrophy in male mice. Nature communications 38 36810848
2018 The Effect and Mechanism of KLF7 in the TLR4/NF-κB/IL-6 Inflammatory Signal Pathway of Adipocytes. Mediators of inflammation 37 30598636
2017 Correlation of TLR4 and KLF7 in Inflammation Induced by Obesity. Inflammation 37 27714571
2023 HMGB1-mediated elevation of KLF7 facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma progression and metastasis through upregulating TLR4 and PTK2. Theranostics 36 37554278
2016 KLF7-transfected Schwann cell graft transplantation promotes sciatic nerve regeneration. Neuroscience 36 27826105
2020 KLF7: a new candidate biomarker and therapeutic target for high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR 34 33250051
2019 KLF7 promotes polyamine biosynthesis and glioma development through transcriptionally activating ASL. Biochemical and biophysical research communications 34 31018905
2006 Brn3a and Klf7 cooperate to control TrkA expression in sensory neurons. Developmental biology 34 17011544
2021 KLF7/VPS35 axis contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma progression through CCDC85C-activated β-catenin pathway. Cell & bioscience 32 33858520
2017 KLF7 overexpression in human oral squamous cell carcinoma promotes migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Oncology letters 30 28454392
2006 Mice without transcription factor KLF7 provide new insight into olfactory bulb development. Brain research 30 16814267
2024 KLF7 regulates super-enhancer-driven IGF2BP2 overexpression to promote the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research : CR 29 38443991
2018 Inhibition of KLF7-Targeting MicroRNA 146b Promotes Sciatic Nerve Regeneration. Neuroscience bulletin 29 29356943
2016 KLF7 Regulates Satellite Cell Quiescence in Response to Extracellular Signaling. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio) 28 26930448
2016 Combined chondroitinase and KLF7 expression reduce net retraction of sensory and CST axons from sites of spinal injury. Neurobiology of disease 26 27988344
2017 Characterization of enhancers and the role of the transcription factor KLF7 in regulating corneal epithelial differentiation. The Journal of biological chemistry 25 28916725
2019 KLF7 overexpression in bone marrow stromal stem cells graft transplantation promotes sciatic nerve regeneration. Journal of neural engineering 23 31296795
2020 miR-450b-3p inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer via regulating KLF7. Cancer cell international 22 32063748
2020 MicroRNA‑103 modulates tumor progression by targeting KLF7 in non‑small cell lung cancer. International journal of molecular medicine 21 32582959
2022 KLF7 Alleviates Atherosclerotic Lesions and Inhibits Glucose Metabolic Reprogramming in Macrophages by Regulating HDAC4/miR-148b-3p/NCOR1. Gerontology 20 35439761
2024 Hypoxic preconditioning-engineered bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes promote muscle satellite cell activation and skeletal muscle regeneration via the miR-210-3p/KLF7 mechanism. International immunopharmacology 19 39306891
2020 MicroRNA-136-3p inhibits glioma tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo by targeting KLF7. World journal of surgical oncology 18 32677950
2007 Ca2+, CREB and krüppel: a novel KLF7-binding element conserved in mouse and human TRKB promoters is required for CREB-dependent transcription. Molecular and cellular neurosciences 18 17553693
2024 Cytotoxic and epigenetic effects of berberine-loaded chitosan/pectin nanoparticles on AGS gastric cancer cells: Role of the miR-185-5p/KLF7 axis, DNMTs, and global DNA methylation. International journal of biological macromolecules 17 38253156
2022 LncRNA NUTM2A-AS1 aggravates the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by activating the miR-186-5p/KLF7-mediated Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Human cell 17 36242728
2021 MicroRNA-301a-3p increases oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in ox-LDL-induced HUVECs by targeting KLF7. Experimental and therapeutic medicine 17 33850541
2023 Promotion of colorectal cancer by transcription factor BHLHE40 involves upregulation of ADAM19 and KLF7. Frontiers in oncology 16 36890812
2023 KLF7 promotes adipocyte inflammation and glucose metabolism disorder by activating the PKCζ/NF-κB pathway. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 16 37342904
2022 Transcription Factor KLF7 Promotes Osteoclast Differentiation by Suppressing HO-1. Frontiers in genetics 16 35419025
2016 Sciatic nerve regeneration in KLF7-transfected acellular nerve allografts. Neurological research 16 27093235
2023 miR-132-3p and KLF7 as novel regulators of aortic stiffening-associated EndMT in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetology & metabolic syndrome 15 36698180
2020 Long noncoding RNA KCNQ1OT1 contributes to tumor growth and activates Wnt/β‑catenin signaling in osteosarcoma by targeting the miR‑3666/KLF7 axis. International journal of molecular medicine 15 33416089
2021 Methylation of miR-19b-3p promoter exacerbates inflammatory responses in sepsis-induced ALI via targeting KLF7. Cell biology international 14 33760339
2018 De novo variants in KLF7 are a potential novel cause of developmental delay/intellectual disability, neuromuscular and psychiatric symptoms. Clinical genetics 14 29251763
2006 Multiple pathways regulate intracellular shuttling of MoKA, a co-activator of transcription factor KLF7. Nucleic acids research 13 16990251
2022 Long noncoding RNA PVT1 regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells in vitro via the miR-1301-3p/KLF7 axis. Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) 12 35451342
2021 GNA14 stimulation of KLF7 promotes malignant growth of endometrial cancer through upregulation of HAS2. BMC cancer 12 33892667
2021 LncRNA SNHG14 accelerates breast cancer progression through sponging miR-543 and regulating KLF7 expression. Archives of gynecology and obstetrics 12 34783894
2020 KLF7 promotes macrophage activation by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway in epicardial adipose tissue in patients with coronary artery disease. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences 11 32633394
2019 SCFFbxw7 ubiquitylates KLF7 for degradation in a manner dependent on GSK-3-mediated phosphorylation. Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms 11 30838725
2023 The active phthalate metabolite, DHEP, induces proliferation and metastasis of prostate cancer cells via upregulation of β-catenin and downregulation of KLF7. Bioorganic chemistry 10 37734194
2022 KLF7 promotes preadipocyte proliferation via activation of the Akt signaling pathway by Cis-regulating CDKN3. Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica 10 36269137
2021 KLF7 Promotes Gastric Carcinogenesis Through Regulation of ANTXR1. Cancer management and research 10 34285576
2023 Circular hsa_circ_0020377 regulates KLF7 by targeting miR-194-5p to facilitate tumor cell malignant behaviors and glycolysis in oral squamous cell carcinoma progression. Functional & integrative genomics 8 36717528
2021 Effects of miR-132-3p on progress and epithelial mesenchymal transition of non-small cell lung cancer via regulating KLF7. Journal of thoracic disease 8 34012590
2020 DNA methylation of CpG sites in the chicken KLF7 promoter and Exon 2 in association with mRNA expression in abdominal adipose tissue and blood metabolic indicators. BMC genetics 8 33054719
2022 Notoginsenoside R1 alleviates spinal cord injury through the miR-301a/KLF7 axis to activate Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Open medicine (Warsaw, Poland) 7 35509687
2014 Luna, a Drosophila KLF6/KLF7, is maternally required for synchronized nuclear and centrosome cycles in the preblastoderm embryo. PloS one 7 24915236
2024 Palmitic acid-activated GPRs/KLF7/CCL2 pathway is involved in the crosstalk between bone marrow adipocytes and prostate cancer. BMC cancer 6 38221626
2024 USP7 alleviates neuronal inflammation and apoptosis in spinal cord injury via deubiquitinating NRF1/KLF7 axis. Neurological research 6 39007840
2024 KLF7 enhances the invasion and migration of colorectal cancer cells via the miR-139-5p/TPD52 axis. Cancer biology & therapy 6 39097779
2024 KLF7 reverses ox-LDL-induced ferroptosis in HMEC-1 cells through transcriptionally activating ALKBH5 to inhibit the m6A modification of ACSL4. Cytotechnology 6 39435423
2024 KLF7 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression Through Regulating SLC1A5-Mediated Tryptophan Metabolism. Journal of cellular and molecular medicine 6 39648156
2024 Alpha-lipoic acid targets KLF7 expression to inhibit cervical cancer progression. Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica 6 39696984
2025 KLF7-regulated ITGA2 as a therapeutic target for inhibiting oral cancer stem cells. Cell death & disease 5 40316546
2024 KLF7 promotes colon adenocarcinoma progression through the PDGFB signaling pathway. International journal of biological sciences 5 38164176
2024 miR-520f-3p blocks MNNG-induced gastric precancerous lesions via the KLF7/NFκB pathway. Toxicology letters 5 38184286
2024 UKLF/PCBP2 axis governs the colorectal cancer development by transcriptionally activating SLC39A4. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular cell research 5 38768927
2023 Stress-inducible IL-6 is regulated by KLF7 in brown adipocytes. Heliyon 5 37025783
2022 Long non-coding RNA XIST negatively regulates thoracic aortic aneurysm cell proliferation by targeting the miR-193a-5p/KLF7 axis. Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France) 5 36495497
2021 MiR-1b up-regulation inhibits rat neuron proliferation and regeneration yet promotes apoptosis via targeting KLF7. Folia neuropathologica 5 33969678
2025 KLF7 promotes progression of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma by remodeling tumor immune microenvironment. Cancer letters 4 41482204
2024 KLF7 promotes neuroblastoma differentiation through the GTPase signaling pathway by upregulating neuroblast differentiation-associated protein AHNAKs and glycerophosphodiesterase GDPD5. The FEBS journal 4 38924469
2021 Transcriptional control of chicken KLF7 promoter in preadipocytes. Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica 4 33330912
2024 Newborn adiposity is associated with cord blood DNA methylation at IGF1R and KLF7. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) 3 39165088
2023 Analysis of KLF7 and KLF5 transcription factors gene variants in coronary artery disease. Revista portuguesa de cardiologia : orgao oficial da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia = Portuguese journal of cardiology : an official journal of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology 3 37268267
2022 Expression and Clinical Significance of Serum Krüppel-Like Factor 7 (KLF7) in NSCLC Patients. Computational and mathematical methods in medicine 3 35936369
2021 A Missense Mutation in the KLF7 Gene Is a Potential Candidate Variant for Congenital Deafness in Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs. Genes 3 33805165
2021 Elevation of LncRNA ENST00000453774.1 Prevents Renal Fibrosis by Upregulating FBN1, IGF1R, and KLF7. Kidney & blood pressure research 3 34614499
2023 The Oncogenic Role of KLF7 in Colon Adenocarcinoma and Therapeutic Perspectives. International journal of genomics 2 38116138
2022 Cancer-suppressing miR-520-3p gene inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells through targeted regulation of KLF7. Bulletin du cancer 2 35465967
2022 Inhibition of microRNA-19a-3p alleviates the neuropathic pain (NP) in rats after chronic constriction injury (CCI) via targeting KLF7. Transplant immunology 2 36334791
2021 Knockdown of KLF7 inhibits the differentiation of both intramuscular and subcutaneous preadipocytes in goat. Animal biotechnology 2 34890305
2025 KLF7 orchestrates hippocampal development through neurogenesis and Draxin-mediated neuronal migration. Development (Cambridge, England) 1 40762575
2025 KLF7 Blocks MKNK2/HIF-1 Pathway-Mediated M1 Microglia Polarization to Ameliorate Ischemic Stroke-Induced Neurological Injury. Brain and behavior 1 40923147
2025 KLF7-IT1-ARPC2 axis in macrophages orchestrates caspase-4-driven hypercoagulation in sepsis. Biochemical and biophysical research communications 1 41275797
2026 MLL1-pioneered H3K4me3 modification on KLF7 promoter accelerates the invasion of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis. In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal 0 41483084
2026 Transcriptional activation of PPP1R14C by KLF7 unleashes CDK1 activity to promote lung squamous cell carcinoma. Scientific reports 0 41699008
2026 THBS1 upregulation by KLF7 in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma contributes to lung metastasis through the p38 MAPK signaling. iScience 0 41732256
2026 In silico and in vitro analysis: Unveiling the therapeutic potential of flavonoids against KLF7 in ovarian cancer. Biochemical and biophysical research communications 0 41930827
2025 circ_0000389 inhibits intervertebral disc degeneration by targeting the miR-346/KLF7 axis. Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica 0 40055913
2025 Mechanism of KLF7 in regulating the proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells in polycystic ovarian syndrome. Endocrine connections 0 41071839
2025 KLF7 is a general inducer of human pluripotency. EMBO reports 0 41094238
2025 KLF7 as a biomarker for the pre-metastatic state promotes colorectal cancer liver metastasis via TGFβ autocrine signaling. Cancer letters 0 41213461
2025 FOXO4 Facilitates Diabetic Retinopathy by Mediating KLF7 Transcription and Affecting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology 0 41231402
2025 [Retracted] MicroRNA‑103 modulates tumor progression by targeting KLF7 in non‑small cell lung cancer. International journal of molecular medicine 0 41268601
2025 KLF7 enhances the inflammatory response in LPS-induced alveolar epithelial cells via activating the LIMK1/SRPK1 pathway. Central-European journal of immunology 0 42028385
2024 To explore the protective effect and mechanism of KLF7 overexpression on retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush in mice. European journal of ophthalmology 0 39513284
2023 PU.1 interacts with KLF7 to suppress differentiation and promote proliferation in chicken preadipocytes. Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica 0 36647727
2023 [Overexpression of chicken Klf2 promotes klf7 transcription and inhibits adipocyte differentiation]. Sheng wu gong cheng xue bao = Chinese journal of biotechnology 0 37154331