Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF-4) plays a crucial role in simvastatin (SVT)-induced differentiation of rabbit articular chondrocytes.

Simvastatin is a cholesterol-lowing reagent that is derived synthetically from the fermentation of Aspergillus terreus. Recently, SVT has been shown to possess a protective effect of chondrocytes. Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF-4) is a zinc finger transcription factor that plays crucial roles during the development and maintenance of multiple organs. However, the roles of KLF-4 in chondrocytes have not been well unknown. Here, we investigated whether KLF-4 regulates SVT-caused differentiated phenotype of chondrocytes. A KLF-4 cDNA or KLF-4 siRNA was transfected into SVT-treated chondrocytes. Western blot analysis, RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining analyzed expression of type II collagen and SOX-9, marker proteins of differentiation. The results showed overexpression of KLF-4 accelerates SVT-induced type II collagen expression, as determined by western blot analysis and causes sulfated-proteoglycan synthesis, as detected by Alcian blue staining. RT-PCR revealed that ectopic expression of KLF-4 induces SVT-caused SOX-9, a transcription factor of type II collagen, expression. Transfection of KLF-4 siRNA reversed SVT-caused type II collagen and SOX-9 expression and inhibited SVT-induced sulfated proteoglycan production. This study indicates that KLF-4 plays critical role in SVT-caused chondrocytes differentiation.