Project description:We profiled the genome-wide occupancy of three tissue-specific transcription factors, HNF4A, CEBPA and FOXA1, as well as the genome-wide occurrence of the histone mark, H3K4me3 in the livers of two inbred parental mouse strains (C57BL/6J and CAST/EiJ) and their F1 crosses. We also included H3K27ac data generated from F1 hybrids as well as the profiling of HNF4A, CEBPA and FOXA1 in both CEBPA and HNF4a heterozygous knock-outs.
Project description:To understand how HNF4A loss affects gene expression in mouse liver. We used control and HNF4A KO mouse livers for RNA sequencing. In addition, we also examined the effect of HNF4A gain in mouse fibroblast cells by ectropically expressing HNF4A in NIH3T3 cell to identify genes that are regulated by HNF4A.
Project description:HNF4A mRNA cycles over the coure of 24 h. To understand whether the chromatin binding of the transcription factor is also rhythmic, we performed ChIP-seq for HNF4A using mouse liver samples of ZT4 and ZT16. By analysing this dataset, we conclude that HNF4A binds chromatin much more robustly during the evening ( at ZT16).
Project description:Hnf4a is specifically expressed in developing proximal tubule cells in the newborn mouse kidney. In order to identify direct target genes of Hnf4a in the developing proximal tubules, we performed ChIP-Seq of Hnf4a in the mouse kidneys at P0.
Project description:The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a nuclear hormone receptor critical to the regulation of energy metabolism and the inflammatory response. The actions of GR have been shown to be highly dependent on context. Here, we performed GR ChIP-seq in mouse liver to demonstrate the necessity for liver lineage-determining factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A (HNF4A) in defining tissue-specificity of GR action. In normal liver, the HNF4 motif lies adjacent to the glucocorticoid response element (GRE) at GR binding sites found within regions of open chromatin. In the absence of HNF4A, the liver GR cistrome is remodelled, with both loss and gain of GR recruitment evident. Lost sites are characterised by HNF4 motifs and weak GRE motifs. Gained sites are characterised by strong GRE motifs, and typically show GR recruitment in non-liver tissues. The functional importance of these HNF4A-regulated GR sites is further demonstrated by evidence of an altered transcriptional response to glucocorticoid treatment in the Hnf4a-null liver.
Project description:Specific regulation of target genes by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in a given cellular context is determined in part by transcription factors and cofactors that interact with the Smad complex. In the present study, we determined Smad2 and Smad3 (Smad2/3) binding regions in the promoters of known genes in HepG2 hepatoblastoma cells, and compared them to those in HaCaT epidermal keratinocytes to elucidate the mechanisms of cell type- and context-dependent regulation of transcription induced by TGF-β. Our results show that 81% of the Smad2/3 binding regions in HepG2 cells were not shared with those found in HaCaT cells. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) is expressed in HepG2 cells, but not in HaCaT cells, and the HNF4α binding motif was identified as an enriched motif in the HepG2-specific Smad2/3 binding regions. ChIP-sequencing analysis of HNF4A binding regions under TGF-β stimulation revealed that 32.5% of the Smad2/3 binding regions overlapped HNF4A bindings. MIXL1 was identified as a new combinatorial target of HNF4A and Smad2/3, and both the HNF4A protein and its binding motif were required for the induction of MIXL1 by TGF-β in HepG2 cells. These findings generalize the importance of binding of HNF4A on Smad2/3 binding genomic regions for HepG2-specific regulation of transcription by TGF-β, and suggest that certain transcription factors expressed in a cell-type-specific manner play important roles in the transcription regulated by the TGF-β-Smad signaling pathway. HepG2 cells were treated with TGF-beta for 1.5 h or left untreated. anti-HNF4A ChIP-seq was performed. One lane was used for each sample.
Project description:We analyzed the effect on HNF4A loss on Histone modifications (H3K4me1, H3K27ac) by ChIP-seq and CUT&Tag using control and HNF4A KO livers samples. We also examined chromatin accessibility by ATAC-seq in control and HNF4A KO livers. We also performed CUT&Tag and ATAC-seq of mouse fibroblast cells (NIH 3T3) treated with control or HNF4A expression vector.
Project description:Background & Aims: Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4A (HNF4A) is a master transcription factor (TF) in hepatocytes that regulates metabolism and differentiation. The mechanism of HNF4A in cancer progression remains unclear due to conflicting results observed in numerous studies. We aimed to address the roles of HNF4A in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: We established the HNF4A overexpression and knocking-down stable cells in HCCLM3 and Huh7, and compared the effects of HNF4A on HCC cells in different glucose supply conditions in vitro and in vivo. Pathway inhibitors treatment and phosphatase activity comparisons were performed for signaling pathway analysis. Gene levels in HCC tissues and the clinical information were collected from TCGA for survival analysis. Multiomics approaches including proteomics, TFRE and ChIP-seq were applied to identify HNF4A target genes. Rescue experiments were performed to verify the functions of the potential target genes. Results: We found HNF4A exhibited tumor-suppressive effects on proliferation and migration of HCC cells in glucose-sufficient conditions but tumor-promotive effects in glucose-insufficient conditions. This diverse functionality of HNF4A was dependent upon the AMPK pathway activity. Similarly, the prognosis predicted by HNF4A was also correlated with AMPKa expression level in HCC patients. The potential HNF4A target genes, including NEDD4 and RPS6KA2, are involved in the diverse functionality of HNF4A in response to AMPK activity status. Conclusions: The glucose supply status could be the potential decisive factor to determine functions of HNF4A on HCC cells. The switch of HNF4A between oncogene and tumor suppressor was determined by AMPK activation status, which was correlated with glucose levels.