HNF-3α Background Information
HNF-1 (å and ∫), HNF-3 (å, ∫ and ©), HNF-4 (å and ©), and HNF-6 compose, in part, a homoeprotein family designated the Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor family. The various HNF-1 isoforms regulate transcription of genes in the liver as well as in other tissues such as kidney, small intestine and thymus. HNF-3å, HNF-3∫ and HNF-3© regulate the transcription of numerous hepatocyte genes in adult liver. HNF-3å and HNF-3∫ have also been shown to be involved in gastrulation events such as body axis formation. HNF-4å and HNF-4© have been shown to be important for early embryo development. HNF-4å is expressed in liver, kidney, pancreas, small intestine, testis and colon; HNF-4© is expressed in each of these tissues except liver. HNF-6 has been shown to bind to the promoter of HNF-3∫, which indicates a potential role of HNF-6 in gut endoderm epithelial cell differentiation. Evidence suggests that HNF-6 may also be a transriptional activator for at least 22 other hepatocyte-enriched genes, including cytochrome P450 2C13 and å-1 antitrypsin.
