As one of the major hepatocyte identity-determining transcription factors, hepatocyte nuclear factor alpha (HNF4α) is involved in the transcription of numerous genes and HNF4α was found to lose function during metabolic diseases and sepsis, and is related to several metabolic abnormalities, such as FFA-induced steatosis (44, 45). The gene discussed is HNF4A; the disease is metabolic disease.