ORPHAN RECEPTOR HNF-4 AND LIVER-SPECIFIC GENE-EXPRESSION

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF-4), found in liver, kidney, and intes tine, is a potent transcriptional activator that controls the expressi on of a wide variety of genes, including those involved in fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism, glucose metabolism, urea biosynthesis, blo od coagulation, hepatitis B infections, and liver differentiation. HNF -4 is also a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily and ha s been highly conserved throughout evolution, suggesting that it might respond to an as yet unidentified ligand. In this presentation, some of the current findings regarding the role of HNF-4 in Liver-specific gene expression are reviewed.