mRNA expression of HNF-4 isoforms and of HNF-1 alpha/HNF-1 beta variants and differentiation of human cell lines that mimic highly specialized phenotypes of intestinal epithelium

The mRNA expression of HNF-4 isoforms and the ratio of HNF-1 alpha/HNF-1 beta variants in cell lines representing highly specialized phenotypes of human intestinal epithelium were studied by RT-PCR. A strong rise in expression of HNF-4 isoforms alpha 2, alpha 4 and gamma correlates with commitment into highly differentiated enterocyte-like phenotype of Caco-2 cells which best mimic enterocytes, whereas only isoform alpha 4 expression is high ill the less differentiated HT-29 G cells. These increased expressions are not encountered in the highly differentiated mucous-secreting HT-29 MTX cells. Differentiation into highly specialized enterocyte-like Caco-2 cells and mucous-secreting HT-29 MTX cells is accompanied by a moderate rise in HNF-1 without change in the ratio of its variants. Our data corroborate those of Spath et al. (Mol. Cell. Biol., 1997, 17, 1913) in hepatoma cells and suggest that HNF-4 isoforms alpha 2, alpha 4 and gamma play a major role in the differentiation of enterocytes. (C) 1997 Academic Press.