KLF6 Gene

HGNC Family	Zinc fingers
Name	Kruppel-like factor 6
Description	This gene encodes a member of the Kruppel-like family of transcription factors. The zinc finger protein is a transcriptional activator, and functions as a tumor suppressor. Multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene, some of which are implicated in carcinogenesis. [provided by RefSeq, May 2009]
Summary	{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Kruppel‐like factor 6 (KLF6) is a ubiquitously expressed zinc finger transcription factor that plays multiple, context‐dependent roles in cell homeostasis. In several cancer types—including prostate and colorectal cancers—wild‐type KLF6 functions as a tumor suppressor by up‐regulating cell cycle inhibitors (such as p21) and by activating apoptotic mediators (for example, ATF3), thereby promoting cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In contrast, mutations or alternative splicing of the KLF6 transcript disrupt these growth‐suppressive functions and contribute to enhanced cellular proliferation and tumor progression."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "1", "end_ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In the liver, deregulation of KLF6 is linked to fibrogenesis and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Notably, a decrease in normal KLF6 expression—as well as the presence of polymorphisms that promote function‐antagonizing splice variants—correlates with altered fibrotic responses in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, underscoring a role for KLF6 in modulating liver injury."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_fs", "start_ref": "6", "end_ref": "8"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n KLF6 also contributes to vascular repair mechanisms. In response to endothelial injury, it cooperates with the transcription factor Sp1 to induce the expression of endoglin and other components of the transforming growth factor–β (TGF‑β) signaling cascade, thereby facilitating vascular remodeling."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "9"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Moreover, KLF6 functions in adipogenesis by repressing the proto‐oncogene Delta‐like 1 (Dlk1), a negative regulator of preadipocyte differentiation, thus promoting the adipogenic program."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "10"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n During development, KLF6 is essential for proper hematopoiesis and vascular organization; deletion of KLF6 in mouse models results in embryonic lethality with markedly impaired blood formation and disorganized yolk sac vasculature."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "11"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Collectively, these studies highlight KLF6 as a multifaceted regulator that governs cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and tissue remodeling across a spectrum of biological processes and disease states.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "G Narla, K E Heath, H L Reeves, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "KLF6, a candidate tumor suppressor gene mutated in prostate cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Science (2001)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1126/science.1066326"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1066326"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "11752579"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11752579"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Goutham Narla, Analisa Difeo, Helen L Reeves, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "A germline DNA polymorphism enhances alternative splicing of the KLF6 tumor suppressor gene and is associated with increased prostate cancer risk."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cancer Res (2005)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-04-4249"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-04-4249"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15735005"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15735005"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Helen L Reeves, Goutham Narla, Olagunju Ogunbiyi, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) is a tumor-suppressor gene frequently inactivated in colorectal cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Gastroenterology (2004)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1053/j.gastro.2004.01.005"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2004.01.005"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15057748"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15057748"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xiangwei Huang, Xia Li, Bin Guo "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "KLF6 induces apoptosis in prostate cancer cells through up-regulation of ATF3."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Biol Chem (2008)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1074/jbc.M802515200"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M802515200"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "18755691"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18755691"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Ceshi Chen, Eija-Riitta Hyytinen, Xiaodong Sun, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Deletion, mutation, and loss of expression of KLF6 in human prostate cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Am J Pathol (2003)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/S0002-9440(10)63930-2"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9440(10"}, {"type": "t", "text": "63930-2) PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12651626"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12651626"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Wei-Chih Tsai, Sheng-Da Hsu, Chu-Sui Hsu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MicroRNA-122 plays a critical role in liver homeostasis and hepatocarcinogenesis."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Clin Invest (2012)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1172/JCI63455"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI63455"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "22820290"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22820290"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 7, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Luca Miele, Gary Beale, Gillian Patman, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "The Kruppel-like factor 6 genotype is associated with fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Gastroenterology (2008)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1053/j.gastro.2008.04.004"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2008.04.004"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "18515091"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18515091"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 8, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xiaolong Tu, Haiyan Zhang, Jingcheng Zhang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "MicroRNA-101 suppresses liver fibrosis by targeting the TGFβ signalling pathway."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Pathol (2014)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1002/path.4373"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1002/path.4373"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "24817606"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24817606"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 9, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Luisa M Botella, Tilman Sánchez-Elsner, Francisco Sanz-Rodriguez, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Transcriptional activation of endoglin and transforming growth factor-beta signaling components by cooperative interaction between Sp1 and KLF6: their potential role in the response to vascular injury."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Blood (2002)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1182/blood.V100.12.4001"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.V100.12.4001"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12433697"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12433697"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 10, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Dan Li, Steven Yea, Side Li, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Krüppel-like factor-6 promotes preadipocyte differentiation through histone deacetylase 3-dependent repression of DLK1."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Biol Chem (2005)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1074/jbc.M500463200"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M500463200"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15917248"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15917248"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 11, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Atsushi Kubo, Huixian Liu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Developmental regulation of yolk sac hematopoiesis by Kruppel-like factor 6."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Blood (2006)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1182/blood-2005-05-1916"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2005-05-1916"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "16234353"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16234353"}]}]}]}
Synonyms	CPBP, CBA1, COPEB, BCD1, ST12, ZF9, GBF
Proteins	KLF6_HUMAN
NCBI Gene ID	1316
API
Download Associations
Predicted Functions
Co-expressed Genes
Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines

Functional Associations

KLF6 has 17,521 functional associations with biological entities spanning 8 categories (molecular profile, organism, chemical, disease, phenotype or trait, functional term, phrase or reference, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 122 datasets.

Click the + buttons to view associations for KLF6 from the datasets below.

If available, associations are ranked by standardized value

Harmonizome 3.0

KLF6 Gene

Functional Associations

Please acknowledge the Harmonizome in your publications by citing the following reference(s):

	Dataset	Summary
	Achilles Cell Line Gene Essentiality Profiles	cell lines with fitness changed by KLF6 gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the Achilles Cell Line Gene Essentiality Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles	tissue samples with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray	tissue samples with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq	tissue samples with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq dataset.
	Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	tissues with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other cell lines from the BioGPS Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Human Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles	cell types and tissues with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures	small molecule perturbations changing expression of KLF6 gene from the Carcinogenome Chemical Perturbation Carcinogenicity Signatures dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of KLF6 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles	cell lines with high or low expression of KLF6 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset.
	CCLE Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles	cell lines with KLF6 gene mutations from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
	CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations	cell types associated with KLF6 gene from the CellMarker Gene-Cell Type Associations dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of KLF6 gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of KLF6 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022	transcription factors binding the promoter of KLF6 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset.
	ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations 2025	phenotypes associated with KLF6 gene from the curated ClinVar Gene-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset.
	CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules	small molecule perturbations changing expression of KLF6 gene from the CMAP Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components containing KLF6 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components containing KLF6 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores	cellular components co-occuring with KLF6 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset.
	COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025	cellular components co-occuring with KLF6 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles	cell lines with high or low copy number of KLF6 gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset.
	COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles	cell lines with KLF6 gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset.
	CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions	chemicals interacting with KLF6 gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Chemical Interactions dataset.
	CTD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with KLF6 gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	dbGAP Gene-Trait Associations	traits associated with KLF6 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the dbGAP Gene-Trait Associations dataset.
	DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency	cell lines with fitness changed by KLF6 gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset.
	DISEASES Curated Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases involving KLF6 gene from the DISEASES Curated Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores	diseases co-occuring with KLF6 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset.
	DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025	diseases co-occuring with KLF6 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with KLF6 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations	phenotypes associated with KLF6 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Phenoptype Associations dataset.
	ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles	histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at KLF6 gene from the ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset.
	ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles	transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of KLF6 gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset.
	ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets	transcription factors binding the promoter of KLF6 gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset.
	ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells	PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing KLF6 from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset.
	GAD Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with KLF6 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset.
	GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations	diseases associated with KLF6 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations dataset.