P1-hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α expression significantly correlates with the severity of chronic gastritis

To evaluate the expression pattern of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) in chronic gastritis and reveal the relationship between HNF4α expression and severity of chronic gastritis. Biopsy samples from the gastric mucosa of 225 patients and 5 control subjects were collected. The expressions of P1 promoter-driven HNF4α (P1-HNF4α) and P2 promoter-driven HNF4α (P2-HNF4α) in chronic gastritis were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. Significant differences in P1-HNF4α expression levels were observed between the different severity of chronic gastritis groups without intestinal metaplasia (IM) (P<0.05), while there was no difference in IM area for the P1-HNF4α expression, no matter how far the severity of chronic inflammation. But another HNF4α isoform P2-HNF4α expression was widespread. The P2-HNF4α strongly expressed in any gastric tissues, including normal epithelia, gastritis with various degrees of severity, and gastric IM. High level expression of P1-HNF4α was associated with the severity of chronic gastritis. The P1-HNF4α could be potentially useful as a diagnostic marker for chronic gastritis.