%0 Journal Article %A Morales-Martinez, Mario %A Franco-Cea, Luz A. %A Moreno Vargas, Liliana %A Martinez-Maza, Otoniel %A Huerta-Yepez, Sara %A Vega, Mario I. %D 2016 %I Begell House %K KLF4, hematological malignances, Burkitt lymphoma, YY1 %N 1-2 %P 141-151 %R 10.1615/ForumImmunDisTher.2016017234 %T Bifunctional Role of Kruppel-Like Factor 4 in Hematological Malignancies %U https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/2c6306423483e001,2451af3842dace87,0fbb4f3b40af1beb.html %V 7 %X Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a member of the KLF zinc-finger−containing transcription factor family. Reported experimental data have indicated that KLF4 is either an oncogene or tumor suppressor. Moreover, other observations have indicated the role of KLF4 in the regulation of apoptosis, proliferation, and differentiation of B cells and B-cell malignancies. Interestingly, in contrast to adult lymphomas and most solid tumors, we have shown that KLF4 is overexpressed in pediatric non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) tumor tissues, and overexpression of this protein predicted unresponsiveness to cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone treatment. Furthermore, we have found that the transcription factor Ying Yang 1 (YY1) is overexpressed in B-NHL and correlated with the expression of KLF4. Accordingly, we suggest that coexpression of KLF4 and YY1 may result from the transcriptional regulation of KLF4 by YY1. Indeed, this hypothesis was tested in various experimental designs that used both cell lines and tumor tissues derived from patients. From these findings, it was depicted that KLF4 and YY1 are regulated by microRNA-7 and that the activation of KLF4 can suppresses the extrinsic apoptotic pathway by inhibiting activation and cleavage of caspases 7, 9, and 3. Therefore, the overexpression of KLF4 in lymphoma may be responsible, in part, for pathogenesis, malignancy, and drug resistance. We propose that both KLF4 and YY1 may be prognostic biomarkers in pediatric lymphoma. Furthermore, the clinical testing of inhibitors of KLF4 may be a promising novel treatment for lymphoma. %8 2017-01-20