Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha(HNF4-α)is a nuclear receptor regulating metabolism,cell junctions,differentiation and proliferation in liver and intestinal epithelial cells.Mutations within the HNF4A gene are associated with human diseases such as maturityonset diabetes of the young.Recently,HNF4A has also been described as a susceptibility gene for ulcerative colitis in genome-wide association studies.In addition,specific HNF4A genetic variants have been identified in pediatric cohorts of Crohn’s disease.Results obtained from knockout mice supported that HNF4-αcan protect the intestinal mucosae against inflammation.However,the exact molecular links behind HNF4-αand inflammatory bowel diseases remains elusive.In this review,we will summarize the current knowledge about the role of HNF4-αand its isoforms in inflammation.Specific nature of HNF4-αP1 and P2 classes of isoforms will be summarized.HNF4-αrole as a hepatocyte mediator for cytokines relays during liver inflammation will be integrated based on documented examples of the literature.Conclusions that can be made from these earlier liver studies will serve as a basis to extrapolate correlations and divergences applicable to intestinal inflammation.Finally,potential functional roles for HNF4-αisoforms in protecting the intestinal mucosae from chronic and pathological inflammation will be presented.
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