Hepatocyte regeneration is driven by embryo-like DNA methylation reprogramming.

ABSTRACT: As a result of partial hepatectomy, the remaining liver tissue undergoes a process of renewed proliferation that leads to rapid regeneration of the liver. By following the early stages of this process, we observed dramatic programmed changes in the DNA methylation profile, characterized by both de novo and demethylation events, with a subsequent return to the original adult pattern as the liver matures. Strikingly, these transient alterations partially mimic the DNA methylation state of embryonic hepatoblasts (E16.5), indicating that hepatocytes actually undergo epigenetic dedifferentiation. Furthermore, Tet2/Tet3-deletion experiments demonstrated that these changes in methylation are necessary for carrying out basic embryonic functions, such as proliferation, a key step in liver regenerat

SUBMITTER: Falick Michaeli T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11032470 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature