Project description:Tissue regeneration relies on precise molecular mechanisms controlling cell fate transitions, with cell metabolism emerging as a key regulator. Lactate-derived histone lactylation has recently been identified as an important epigenetic modification involved in the regulation of gene expression across various biological processes. In this study, we report an increase in global histone lactylation and H3K18Lac levels in the mesenchyme and osteoblasts of the zebrafish caudal fin, during the early stages of regeneration. Our findings demonstrate that this epigenetic modification is functionally regulated by increased lactate levels, while inhibition of glycolysis and lactate production significantly reduces histone lactylation. These results suggest that metabolic reprogramming, in response to caudal fin injury, regulates histone lactylation, potentially modulating gene expression essential for cell plasticity and proliferation. This study expands our understanding of how metabolic-epigenetic interactions influence regenerative processes, providing valuable insights for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to enhance tissue repair.
Project description:Previous studies of zebrafish caudal fin regeneration have shown that multiple genetic programs are moduled through regulatory factors. MicroRNAs are short highly conserved non-coding genes that suppress expression of target genes and thereby control multiple genetic programs. Given their important regulatory roles and evolutionary conservation, we hypothesize that microRNAs define a conserved genetic regulatory circuit important for appendage regeneration. We characterized microRNA expression during zebrafish caudal fin regeneration using small RNA sequencing. The stages of caudal fin regeneration were assayed for mRNA expression using mRNA sequencing. Small RNA and mRNA gene expression profiling during 0 and 4 days post amputation.