Conditional knockout mice demonstrate function of Klf5 as a myeloid transcription factor

Kruppel-like factor 5 (Klf5) encodes a zinc-finger transcription factor and has been reported to be a direct target of C/EBP alpha, a master transcription factor critical for formation of granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMP) and leukemic GMP. Using an in vivo hematopoietic-specific gene ablation model, we demonstrate that loss of Klf5 function leads to a progressive increase in peripheral white blood cells, associated with increasing splenomegaly. Long-term hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), short-term HSCs (ST-HSCs), and multipotent progenitors (MPPs) were all significantly reduced in Klf5(Delta/Delta) mice, and knockdown of KLF5 in human CD34(+) cells suppressed colony-forming potential. ST-HSCs, MPPs, and total numbers of committed progenitors were increased in the spleen of Klf5(Delta/Delta) mice, and reduced beta 1- and beta 2-integrin expression on hematopoietic progenitors suggests that increased splenic hematopoiesis results from increased stem and progenitor mobilization. Klf5(Delta/Delta) mice show a significant reduction in the fraction of Gr1(+)Mac1(+) cells (neutrophils) in peripheral blood and bone marrow and increased frequency of eosinophils in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, and lung. Thus, these studies demonstrate dual functions of Klf5 in regulating hematopoietic stem and progenitor proliferation and localization in the bone marrow, as well as lineage choice after GMP, promoting increased neutrophil output at the expense of eosinophil production.