Sequential activation of transcription factors promotes liver regeneration through specific and developmental enhancers

Abstract

The mammalian liver exhibits remarkable regenerative capabilities after injury or resection. Central to this process is the precise modulation of gene expression, driven by changes in chromatin structure and the temporal activation of distal regulatory elements. In this study, we integrated chromatin accessibility and transcriptomic data after partial hepatectomy in mice. We show that the expression of crucial regeneration genes is orchestrated by a diverse array of cis-regulatory elements, including regeneration-specific enhancers and enhancers repurposed from various developmental stages. These enhancers collaborate to activate the transcriptional programs required for hepatocyte priming and proliferation, with their activity initially regulated by the activator protein-1 (AP-1) complex and ATF3, and subsequently by nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NFE2)-related factor 2 (NRF2) during proliferation. Our results also indicate that hepatic regeneration involves the repression of enhancers regulating liver-specific metabolic functions, particularly those involved in lipid metabolism. This study provides a genome-wide atlas of enhancer-gene interactions, offering new insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying liver regeneration.