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Acute liver steatosis translationally controls the epigenetic regulator MIER1 to promote liver regeneration in a study with male mice

Acute liver steatosis translationally controls the epigenetic regulator MIER1 to promote liver regeneration in a study with male mice
Author Chen, YH; Chen, LL; Wu, XS; Zhao, YX; Wang, YC; Jiang, DC; Liu, XJ; Zhou, TT; Li, S; Wei, YD; Liu, Y; Hu, C; Zhou, B; Qin, J; Ying, H; Ding, QR
Journal NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Pub Year 2023
Type Article
Abstract The early phase lipid accumulation is essential for liver regeneration. However, whether this acute lipid accumulation can serve as signals to direct liver regeneration rather than simply providing building blocks for cell proliferation remains unclear. Through in vivo CRISPR screening, we identify MIER1 (mesoderm induction early response 1) as a key epigenetic regulator that bridges the acute lipid accumulation and cell cycle gene expression during liver regeneration in male animals. Physiologically, liver acute lipid accumulation induces the phosphorylation of EIF2S1(eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2), which consequently attenuated Mier1 translation. MIER1 downregulation in turn promotes cell cycle gene expression and regeneration through chromatin remodeling. Importantly, the lipids-EIF2S1-MIER1 pathway is impaired in animals with chronic liver steatosis; whereas MIER1 depletion significantly improves regeneration in these animals. Taken together, our studies identify an epigenetic mechanism by which the early phase lipid redistribution from adipose tissue to liver during regeneration impacts hepatocyte proliferation, and suggest a potential strategy to boost liver regeneration. Early lipid accumulation is thought to contribute to liver regeneration through unclear functional mechanisms. Here the authors identify an epigenetic regulator, MIER1, that bridges the acute lipid accumulation and cell cycle gene transcription during liver regeneration after surgical resection in male mice.
Issue 14
Volume 14
SCI 16.6