TITLE:
Deciphering the Role of Klf10 in the Cerebellum
AUTHORS:
Malek Kammoun, Lydie Nadal-Desbarats, Sandra Même, Aude Lafoux, Corinne Huchet, Géraldine Meyer-Dilhet, Julien Courchet, Frédéric Montigny, Frédéric Szeremeta, William Même, Vladimir Veksler, Jérôme Piquereau, Philippe Pouletaut, Malayannan Subramaniam, John R. Hawse, Jean-Marc Constans, Sabine F. Bensamoun
KEYWORDS:
Klf10, Cerebellum, Mice, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy, Metabolomics, Mitochondria
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering,
Vol.15 No.5,
May
30,
2022
ABSTRACT: Recent studies have demonstrated a new role for Klf10, a Krüppel-like transcription factor, in skeletal muscle, specifically relating to mitochondrial function. Thus, it was of interest to analyze additional tissues that are highly reliant on optimal mitochondrial function such as the cerebellum and to decipher the role of Klf10 in the functional and structural properties of this brain region. In vivo (magnetic resonance imaging and localized spectroscopy, behavior analysis) and in vitro (histology, spectroscopy analysis, enzymatic activity) techniques were applied to comprehensively assess the cerebellum of wild type (WT) and Klf10 knockout (KO) mice. Histology analysis and assessment of locomotion revealed no significant difference in Klf10 KO mice. Diffusion and texture results obtained using MRI revealed structural changes in KO mice characterized as defects in the organization of axons. These modifications may be explained by differences in the levels of specific metabolites (myo-inositol, lactate) within the KO cerebellum. Loss of Klf10 expression also led to changes in mitochondrial activity as reflected by a significant increase in the activity of citrate synthase, complexes I and IV. In summary, this study has provided evidence that Klf10 plays an important role in energy production and mitochondrial function in the cerebellum.