The TGF-β1/Klf-family of transcription
factors. They play important roles in development and maintenance
of various tissues and cell types.
The publications consolidated in this thesis describe, that Klf11
mimics TGF-β effects by inducing apoptotsis accompanied by
activation of cysteine-dependent aspartate-specific protease 3
(Caspase-3). Further the thesis demonstrates that Klf11 represses
the expression of the inhibitory Sma and Mad related protein 7
(Smad7) and disrupts the negative-feedback loop of the TGF-β
signaling pathway. Loss of the N-terminal repression domains of
Klf11 abrogates its proapoptotic nature and the repression of
Smad7. In conclusion, the evidence was given that the transcription
factor Klf11 is a downstream mediator of TGF-β-induced apoptosis
and a potent modulator of the TGF-β signaling pathway in the
oligodendroglial cell line Oli-neu.
In a second part of this thesis it has been shown by using
semiquantitative PCR and immunoblotting, that nerve growth factor
(NGF), a member of the neurotrophin family, regulates the
expression of Klf10 in the pheochromocytoma cell line PC12 in a
tropomyosin related kinase A- (TrkA) dependent manner. Moreover,
the thesis provides evidence for the existence of NGF-responsive
elements in the 5
