MSL1 Promotes Liver Regeneration by Driving Phase Separation of STAT3 and Histone H4 and Enhancing Their Acetylation

Abstract

Male‐specific lethal 1 (MSL1) is critical for the formation of MSL histone acetyltransferase complex which acetylates histone H4 Lys16 (H4K16ac) to activate gene expression. However, the role of MSL1 in liver regeneration is poorly understood. Here, this work identifies MSL1 as a key regulator of STAT3 and histone H4 (H4) in hepatocytes. MSL1 forms condensates with STAT3 or H4 through liquid–liquid phase separation to enrich acetyl‐coenzyme A (Ac‐CoA), and Ac‐CoA in turn enhances MSL1 condensate formation, synergetically promoting the acetylation of STAT3 K685 and H4K16, thus stimulating liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). Additionally, increasing Ac‐CoA level can enhance STAT3 and H4 acetylation, thus promoting liver regeneration in aged mice. The results demonstrate that MSL1 condensate‐mediated STAT3 and H4 acetylation play an important role in liver regeneration. Thus, promoting the phase separation of MSL1 and increasing Ac‐CoA level may be a novel therapeutic strategy for acute liver diseases and transplantation.

Myc beyond Cancer: Regulation of Mammalian Tissue Regeneration

“…Notably, mammalian chromatin de-compaction due to KATs’ activity has been mostly reported in pluripotency- and stemness-related genomic loci that are not directly involved in regeneration processes [ 147 , 148 , 149 ]. Nevertheless, chromatin acetylation has been found to be involved in liver, muscle and neuron regeneration [ 150 , 151 , 152 ], whereas histone deacetylases and their inhibition (HDACs) have been implicated in bone and dental pulp mineralization [ 153 , 154 ], axon remyelination [ 155 , 156 ] and neuronal regeneration [ 157 , 158 ].…”