Activation of albumin and other liver-specific gene expression in fibroblast-pancreatic cell hybrids: different roles of transcription factors.

HNF1 and C/EBP-related proteins are transcription factors important for the activation of albumin gene expression. Fusion of mouse fibroblast (L) cells with rat pancreatic cells (AR42J) unexpectedly activated mouse albumin gene expression in the hybrid cells. In addition, several liver-specific genes such as tyrosine amino-transferase (TAT) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxy-kinase (PEPCK) were also activated in the fibroblast-pancreatic hybrids. RNase protection assays using rat HNF1 riboprobes showed that AR42J cells and fibroblast-pancreatic hybrids expressed rat HNF1 transcripts. However, mouse or rat C/EBP alpha transcripts were not expressed in the fibroblast-pancreatic hybrids by RNase protection assays. Transfection of HNF1 expression vector alone was able to activate an albumin promoter (-1 kb, 5' flanking) promoted GPT construct in L cells, but not in HeLa cells, suggesting that different factors in L cells might interact with HNF1 to mediate activation. These results showed the global activation of liver-specific genes (including albumin, TAT, and PEPCK) in somatic cell hybrids. The presence of HNF1 in the hybrids may play a causal role. The absence of C/EBP alpha in the hybrids suggested its non-essential role in the activation of liver-specific gene expression. The other mechanisms responsible for the activation were also discussed.