HNF4 Pathway

The HNF4 (Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4) signaling pathway is essential for the regulation of various genes involved in metabolism, particularly in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. Modulating HNF4 activity could offer therapeutic potential for metabolic diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancer [Ref1].

2. Lentivirus Detects HNF4 Pathway:

GenTarget developed a set of reporting lentivirus to monitor HNF4 signaling pathway activity. Those reporting lentivirus has a luminescent report (Luciferase) or a fluorescent report (GFP), under a minimal CMV promoter (mCMV) that embedded with optimized tandem repeats of pathway specific HNF4 binding motif as the transcriptional response element (TRE ), sequence motif (5′- GGCAAAGGTCA-tgca-AGGTCA-ta-AGGTCA-ca-AGGTCA 3′) [Ref 2].

HNF4 can be modulated by various endogenous and exogenous factors, such as Linoleic Acid, Clofibrate, High Glucose, Glucocorticoids and drugs that can modulate lipid metabolism. Upon the activation of HNF4 pathway, the HNF4s bind to HNF4 binding motif in the report’s promoter region, leading to increased expression of the reporter protein (luciferase or GFP).

3. Structure of the Reporting Lentivirus:

The pathway specific reporting Lentivirus use either firefly-luciferase or GFP signal changes to detect the pathway’s activity.   Those reporting lentivirus also contains a constitutively expressed Puromycin antibiotic selection marker, or a GFP fluorescent selection marker, which makes it easier to select the stably transduced signal reporting cells, via Puromycin killing or GFP sorting respectively. See lentivector core scheme below.

The premade, ready-to-use reporter lentivirus provides a much easier tool to monitor the activity of the signaling pathways in virtually any mammalian cell type. It also allows to generate your own reporting cell line in your desired cell type for study or screening of pathway specific gene-knockdown, over-expression, or chemical / drug/protein treatment in the cell based assay.

Click the Product Manual (pdf) for all available products for this pathway reporter.