Gata4 and Hnf1alpha are partially required for the expression of specific intestinal genes during development

The terminal differentiation phases of intestinal development in mice occur during cytodifferentiation and the weaning transition. Lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH), liver fatty acid binding protein (Fabp1), and sucrase-isomaltase (SI) are well-characterized markers of these transitions. With the use of gene inactivation models in mature mouse jejunum, we have previously shown that a member of the zinc finger transcription factor family (Gata4) and hepatocyte nuclear factor-1alpha (Hnf1alpha) are each indispensable for LPH and Fabp1 gene expression but are both dispensable for SI gene expression. In the present study, we used these models to test the hypothesis that Gata4 and Hnf1alpha regulate LPH, Fabp1, and SI gene expression during development, specifically focusing on cytodifferentiation and the weaning transition. Inactivation of Gata4 had no effect on LPH gene expression during either cytodifferentiation or suckling, whereas inactivation of Hnf1alpha resulted in a 50% reduction in LPH gene expression during these same time intervals. Inactivation of Gata4 or Hnf1alpha had a partial effect ( approximately 50% reduction) on Fabp1 gene expression during cytodifferentiation and suckling but no effect on SI gene expression at any time during development. Throughout the suckling period, we found a surprising and dramatic reduction in Gata4 and Hnf1alpha protein in the nuclei of absorptive enterocytes of the jejunum despite high levels of their mRNAs. Finally, we show that neither Gata4 nor Hnf1alpha mediates the glucocorticoid-induced precocious maturation of the intestine but rather are downstream targets of this process. Together, these data demonstrate that specific intestinal genes have differential requirements for Gata4 and Hnf1alpha that are dependent on the developmental time frame in which they are expressed.