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. 1991 May 1;88(9):3807–3811. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.9.3807

The different tissue transcription patterns of genes for HNF-1, C/EBP, HNF-3, and HNF-4, protein factors that govern liver-specific transcription.

K G Xanthopoulos 1, V R Prezioso 1, W S Chen 1, F M Sladek 1, R Cortese 1, J E Darnell Jr 1
PMCID: PMC51542  PMID: 2023930

Abstract

The transcription factors that act in hepatocyte-specific gene expression include proteins that are present mainly in liver cells (HNF-1/LFB1, C/EBP, HNF-3, HNF-4) (HNF, hepatocyte nuclear factor; C/EBP, rat enhancer binding protein) and proteins that are widely distributed (AP-1, NF-1, NF-Y/ACF). We show here that the genes encoding each of these liver-enriched factors exhibit different patterns of transcriptional control in different tissues. In addition, there were several instances in which transcription was detected (e.g., for HNF-1) when no mRNA or specific DNA binding protein was found, suggesting the importance of posttranscriptional control in some instances for these factors. These experiments identify C/EBP, HNF-3, and HNF-4, and perhaps also HNF-1, as targets for the study of cascades of transcriptionally controlled transcription factors in differentiated cells.

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