Control of pancreas and liver gene expression by HNF transcription factors

Science. 2004 Feb 27;303(5662):1378-81. doi: 10.1126/science.1089769.

Abstract

The transcriptional regulatory networks that specify and maintain human tissue diversity are largely uncharted. To gain insight into this circuitry, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with promoter microarrays to identify systematically the genes occupied by the transcriptional regulators HNF1alpha, HNF4alpha, and HNF6, together with RNA polymerase II, in human liver and pancreatic islets. We identified tissue-specific regulatory circuits formed by HNF1alpha, HNF4alpha, and HNF6 with other transcription factors, revealing how these factors function as master regulators of hepatocyte and islet transcription. Our results suggest how misregulation of HNF4alpha can contribute to type 2 diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Carbohydrate Metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / etiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Genome, Human
  • Gluconeogenesis
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-beta
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 6
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Islets of Langerhans / metabolism*
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • Precipitin Tests
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • HNF1A protein, human
  • HNF1B protein, human
  • HNF4A protein, human
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-alpha
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 6
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • MLX protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • ONECUT1 protein, human
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-beta
  • RNA Polymerase II