Threshold levels of hepatocyte nuclear factor 6 (HNF-6) acting in synergy with HNF-4 and PGC-1alpha are required for time-specific gene expression during liver development

Mol Cell Biol. 2006 Aug;26(16):6037-46. doi: 10.1128/MCB.02445-05.

Abstract

During liver development, hepatocytes undergo a maturation process that leads to the fully differentiated state. This relies at least in part on the coordinated action of liver-enriched transcription factors (LETFs), but little is known about the dynamics of this coordination. In this context we investigate here the role of the LETF hepatocyte nuclear factor 6 (HNF-6; also called Onecut-1) during hepatocyte differentiation. We show that HNF-6 knockout mouse fetuses have delayed expression of glucose-6-phosphatase (g6pc), which catalyzes the final step of gluconeogenesis and is a late marker of hepatocyte maturation. Using a combination of in vivo and in vitro gain- and loss-of-function approaches, we demonstrate that HNF-6 stimulates endogenous g6pc gene expression directly via a synergistic and interdependent action with HNF-4 and that it involves coordinate recruitment of the coactivator PGC-1alpha. The expression of HNF-6, HNF-4, and PGC-1alpha rises steadily during liver development and precedes that of g6pc. We provide evidence that threshold levels of HNF-6 are required to allow synergism between HNF-6, HNF-4, and PGC-1alpha to induce time-specific expression of g6pc. Our observations on the regulation of g6pc by HNF-6 provide a model whereby synergism, interdependency, and threshold concentrations of LETFs and coactivators determine time-specific expression of genes during liver development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Embryo, Mammalian / embryology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase / genetics
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / genetics
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4 / metabolism*
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 6 / deficiency
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 6 / genetics
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 6 / metabolism*
  • Hepatocytes / cytology
  • Hepatocytes / enzymology
  • Humans
  • Liver / embryology*
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Protein Binding
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors

Substances

  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 6
  • Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
  • Ppargc1a protein, mouse
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Glucose-6-Phosphatase