The winged helix transcriptional activator HFH-3 is expressed in the distal tubules of embryonic and adult mouse kidney

The hepatocyte nuclear factor-3 (HNF-3)/fork head homolog (HFH) proteins are an extensive family of transcription factors, which share homology in the winged helix DNA binding domain. Members of the HFH/winged helix family have been implicated in cell fate determination during pattern formation, in organogenesis, and in cell-type-specific gene expression. In this study we isolated a full-length HFH-3 cDNA clone from a human kidney library which encoded a 351-amino acid protein containing a centrally located winged helix DNA binding domain. We demonstrate that HFH-3 is a potent transcriptional activator requiring 138 C-terminal residues for activity. We used in situ hybridization to demonstrate that HFH-3 expression is restricted to the epithelium of the renal distal convoluted tubules. We determined the HFH-3 DNA binding consensus sequence by in vitro DNA binding site selection using recombinant HFH-3 protein and used this consensus sequence to identify putative HFH-3 target genes expressed there. These putative HFH-3 target genes include the Na/K-ATPase, Na/H and anion exchangers, E-cadherin, and mineralocorticoid receptor genes as well as genes for the transcription factors HNF-1, vHNP-1, and HNF-4.