Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1, a transcription factor at the crossroads of glucose homeostasis

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 (HNF1) is a transcription factor involved in the regulation of a large set of hepatic genes, including albumin, beta-fibrinogen, and alpha1-antitrypsin. HNF1 is expressed in the liver, digestive tract, pancreas, and kidney. Mice lacking HNF1 exhibit hepatic, pancreatic, and renal dysfunctions. HNF1-deficient mice fail to express the hepatic phenylalanine hydroxylase gene, giving rise to hyperphenylalaninemia. Renal proximal tubular reabsorption of glucose, phosphate, arginine, and other metabolites is affected, producing severe renal glucosuria, phosphaturia, and amino aciduria. Homozygous mutant mice also exhibit a dramatic insulin secretion defect. This dysfunction resembles that exhibited by patients with maturity-onset diabetes mellitus of the young type 3, who carry mutations in the human HNF1 gene in the heterozygous state. These data show that HNF1 is a major regulator of glucose homeostasis, regulating the expression of genes that are expressed in the liver, kidney, and pancreas.