Obesity is a serious public health problem associated with predisposition to develop metabolic diseases. Over the past decade, several studies in vitro and in vivo have shown that the activity of Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) regulates adipogenesis, adipose tissue function and metabolism. Comprehension of both the origin and development of adipocytes and of adipose tissue could provide new insights into therapeutic strategies to contend against obesity and related metabolic diseases. This review focus on the transcriptional role that KLF family members play during adipocyte differentiation, describes their main interactions and the mechanisms involved in this fine-tuned developmental process. We also summarize new findings of the involvement of several effectors that modulate KLFs expression during adipogenesis, including growth factors, circadian clock proteins, interleukins, nuclear receptors, protein kinases and importantly, microRNAs. Thus, KLFs regulation by these factors and emerging molecules might constitute a potential therapeutic target for anti-obesity intervention.

肥胖是与易患代谢性疾病有关的严重公共卫生问题。在过去的十年中，进行了一些体外和体内研究研究表明，Krüppel样因子（KLF）的活性调节脂肪形成，脂肪组织功能和代谢。对脂肪细胞和脂肪组织的起源和发展的理解可以为对抗肥胖症和相关代谢疾病的治疗策略提供新的见解。这篇综述着重于KLF家族成员在脂肪细胞分化过程中所起的转录作用，描述了它们的主要相互作用以及这种微调的发育过程所涉及的机制。我们还总结了在脂肪形成过程中调节KLFs表达的几种效应子的参与的新发现，包括生长因子，昼夜节律蛋白，白介素，核受体，蛋白激酶，以及重要的是microRNA。从而，