HNF-4α determines hepatic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow.

Aim: To investigate the differentiation status and key factors to facilitate hepatic differentiation of human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Methods: Human MSCs derived from bone marrow were induced into hepatocyte-like cells following a previously published protocol. The differentiation status of the hepatocyte-like cells was compared with various human hepatoma cell lines. Overexpression of hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-4α was mediated by adenovirus infection of these hepatocyte-like cells. The expression of interesting genes was then examined by either reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or real-time RT-PCR methods.

Results: Our results demonstrated that the differentiation status of hepatocyte-like cells induced from human MSCs was relatively similar to poorly differentiated human hepatoma cell lines. Interestingly, the HNF-4 isoform in induced MSCs and poorly differentiated human hepatoma cell lines was identified as HNF-4γ instead of HNF-4α. Overexpression of HNF-4α in induced MSCs significantly enhanced the expression level of hepatic-specific genes, liver-enriched transcription factors, and cytochrome P450 (P450) genes.

Conclusion: Overexpression of HNF-4α improves the hepatic differentiation of human MSCs from bone marrow and is a simple way of providing better cell sources for clinical applications.