TCF12 and cancer: However, many of these TFs have been shown to play a role in stemness or proliferation—TCF12, a member of the basic helix-loop-helix E (BHLHE) protein, has been shown to be expressed by many cell types including T and B cells and hematopoietic stem cells, and KLF12 is known to promote proliferation in cancer and natural killer cells (30, 47).