KLF10 Deficiency in CD4(+) T Cells Triggers Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Fatty Liver

CD4(+) T cells regulate inflammation and metabolism in obesity. An imbalance of CD4(+) T regulatory cells (Tregs) is critical in the development of insulin resistance and diabetes. Although cytokine control of this process is well understood, transcriptional regulation is not. KLF10, a member of the Kruppel-like transcription factor family, is an emerging regulator of immune cell function. We generated CD4(+)-T-cell-specific KLF10 knockout (TKO) mice and identified a predisposition to obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver due to defects of CD4(+) Treg mobilization to liver and adipose tissue depots and decreased transforming growth factor β3 (TGF-β3) release in vitro and in vivo. Adoptive transfer of wild-type CD4(+) Tregs fully rescued obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver. Mechanistically, TKO Tregs exhibit reduced mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mTOR signaling, and consequently impaired chemotactic properties. Collectively, our study identifies CD4(+) T cell KLF10 as an essential regulator of obesity and insulin resistance by altering Treg metabolism and mobilization.