Expression of specific hepatocyte and cholangiocyte transcription factors in human liver disease and embryonic development
Open accessAbstract
Transcription factors are major determinants of cell-specific gene expression in all cell types. Studies in rodent liver have shown that alterations in transcription factor expression determine lineage specification during fetal liver development and signify transdifferentiation of cells of the biliary compartment into 'oval' cells and eventually hepatocytes in adult liver. We examined the cellular localization of hepatocyte- or BEC-associated transcription factors in human fetal and adult liver and in diseases in which transdifferentiation between hepatocytes and biliary cells may play a role. In the normal adult human liver, hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)4 alpha and HNF6 appeared exclusively in hepatocytes; HNF1beta, HNF3alpha, and HNF3beta were observed only in BEC. During fetal development both BEC and hepatocytes expressed HNF3alpha, HNF3beta, and HNF6. HNF1alpha was expressed only in fetal hepatocytes. We further examined expression of transcription factors in massive hepatic necrosis and in specific types of chronic liver disease. Hepatocyte-associated transcription factors HNF4 alpha and HNF6 also appeared in BEC in massive hepatic necrosis and chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Similarly, HNF3beta that is expressed only in BEC in normal adult liver was also observed in hepatocytes in primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic biliary obstruction. These data mimic previous findings in rodents in which hepatocyte-associated transcription factors appear in biliary cells prior to emergence of oval cells, which function as progenitor cells for hepatocytes when the regenerative capacity of the latter is compromised.
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Similar observations in humans suggest that hepatocyte-to-BEC conversion may play a role in conditions such as biliary obstruction and primary biliary cirrhosis.
“and similar observations in humans suggest that hepatocyte-to-BEC conversion may play a role in conditions such as biliary obstruction and primary biliary cirrhosis49.”
From HBO1 functions as an epigenetic barrier to hepatocyte plasticity and reprogramming during liver injury (2025) · cites this paper as [49]
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References 37 · Cited by 94
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- Authors
- Limaye, P. B., Alarcón, G., Walls, A. L., Nalesnik, M. A., Michalopoulos, G. K., Demetris, A. J., & Ochoa, E. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ochoa, Erin R
- Venue
- Laboratory Investigation
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-08
- Volume
- 88
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 865-872
- ISSN
- 0023-6837 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2631390
- OpenAlex
- W2022204102
- Cited by
- 94
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 4.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Laboratory Investigation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (2r01ca103958-06a1, UL1TR000005)
- National Cancer Institute (CA 35373, R01CA035373, CA30241, R01-CA103958)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (KO8 5K08DK65880, K08DK065880)
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Liver physiology and pathology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Liver Diseases and Immunity
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Organ Transplantation Techniques and Outcomes
- Keywords
- transcription factors, hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, HNF6, HNF1B, HNF-3beta, fetal liver development, oval cells, transdifferentiation, chronic hepatitis C, primary biliary cirrhosis, liver regeneration, cell lineage specification
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Biliary Tract, Biliary Tract Diseases, Humans, Liver, Liver Diseases, Transcription Factors, Hepatocytes, Cell Proliferation
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