Reactivation of liver-specific gene expression in an immortalized human hepatocyte cell line by introduction of the human HNF4alpha2 gene.

Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikata, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.

An immortalized human hepatocyte cell line (OUMS-29) was established from fetal liver by transfection with the SV-40 large T antigen gene that has certain liver-specific functions such as albumin production and enzyme activities of CYP1A1, 1A2, and 2E1. To make OUMS-29 cells express other liver-specific functions, the human hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha2 (HNF4alpha2) gene was introduced into the cells, because this gene was found to be markedly down-regulated. The transduced HNF4alpha2 was overexpressed in the nuclei of the transfected cells, and its DNA-binding activity was also detected. The liver-specific genes such as apolipoprotein AI, CII, CIII, blood coagulation factor X, alpha1-antitrypsin, and HNF1alpha were up-regulated. Thus, this cell line is expected to be a useful tool for studying the differentiated human hepatocyte functions.

PMID: 11605014 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]