Orphan receptor HNF-4 and liver-specific gene expression.

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF-4), found in liver, kidney, and intestine, is a potent transcriptional activator that controls the expression of a wide variety of genes, including those involved in fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism, glucose metabolism, urea biosynthesis, blood coagulation, hepatitis B infections, and liver differentiation. HNF-4 is also a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily and has 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.