The role of the activin cistrome in liver progenitor cell-mediated liver regeneration

• Applicant: Honglei Weng, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Gastroenterology
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 426883873

• Final Report Year: 2024

Final Report Abstract

Taken together, this project confirms several critical effects of TGF-β family members TGF-β and activin, TGF-β-SMADs signaling, and the activin cistrome on regulating LPC-mediated liver regeneration, in particular in severe liver diseases such as ALF. Meanwhile, it still remains largely unknown about how different TGF-β family members and their downstream signaling modulate LPC proliferation and differentiation towards hepatocytes. An extension proposal will be submitted to DFG in order to clarify these critical issues in LPC biology.

Publications

• Follistatin‐controlled activin‐HNF4α‐coagulation factor axis in liver progenitor cells determines outcome of acute liver failure. Hepatology, 75(2), 322-337.
  Lin, Tao; Wang, Shanshan; Munker, Stefan; Jung, Kyounghwa; Macías‐Rodríguez, Ricardo U.; Ruiz‐Margáin, Astrid; Schierwagen, Robert; Liu, Hui; Shao, Chen; Fan, Chunlei; Feng, Rilu; Yuan, Xiaodong; Wang, Sai; Wandrer, Franziska; Meyer, Christoph; Wimmer, Ralf; Liebe, Roman; Kroll, Jens; Zhang, Long ... & Weng, Hong‐Lei
  
• A hierarchical regulatory network ensures stable albumin transcription under various pathophysiological conditions. Hepatology, 76(6), 1673-1689.
  Feng, Rilu; Kan, Kejia; Sticht, Carsten; Li, Yujia; Wang, Shanshan; Liu, Hui; Shao, Chen; Munker, Stefan; Niess, Hanno; Wang, Sai; Meyer, Christoph; Liebe, Roman; Ebert, Matthias P.; Dooley, Steven; Ding, Huiguo & Weng, Honglei
  
• FOXA2 prevents hyperbilirubinaemia in acute liver failure by maintaining apical MRP2 expression. Gut, 72(3), 549-559.
  Wang, Sai; Feng, Rilu; Wang, Shan Shan; Liu, Hui; Shao, Chen; Li, Yujia; Link, Frederik; Munker, Stefan; Liebe, Roman; Meyer, Christoph; Burgermeister, Elke; Ebert, Matthias; Dooley, Steven; Ding, Huiguo & Weng, Honglei
  
• Liver Progenitor Cells in Massive Hepatic Necrosis—How Can a Patient Survive Acute Liver Failure?. Biomolecules, 12(1), 66.
  Lin, Tao; Feng, Rilu; Liebe, Roman & Weng, Hong-Lei
  
• FOXA2 is essential for maintaining the urea cycle in acute liver failure.
  Feng, Rilu; Liu, Rui; Tong, Chenhao; Lin, Tao; Li, Xiaofeng; Liu, Hui; Shao, Chen; Kan, Kejia; Sticht, Carsten; Li, Yujia; Wang, Sai; Munker, Stefan; Wirth, Ulrich; Niess, Hanno; Liebe, Roman; Meyer, Christoph; Wang, Shanshan; Ebert, Matthias P.; Dooley, Steven ... & Weng, Hong-Lei
  
• Rapid dexamethasone treatment inhibits LPS-induced cytokine storm in mice.
  Zhang, Fen; Xiao, Lanlan; Li, Yujia; Feng, Rilu; Zhou, Menghao; Tang, Shima; Liebe, Roman; Ebert, Matthias P.; Dooley, Steven; Li, Lanjuan & Weng, Hong-Lei
  
• Transcription networks in liver development and acute liver failure. Liver Research, 7(1), 47-55.
  Feng, Rilu; Liebe, Roman & Weng, Hong-Lei
  
• Insulin Determines Transforming Growth Factor β Effects on Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α Transcription in Hepatocytes. The American Journal of Pathology, 194(1), 52-70.
  Feng, Rilu; Tong, Chenhao; Lin, Tao; Liu, Hui; Shao, Chen; Li, Yujia; Sticht, Carsten; Kan, Kejia; Li, Xiaofeng; Liu, Rui; Wang, Sai; Wang, Shanshan; Munker, Stefan; Niess, Hanno; Meyer, Christoph; Liebe, Roman; Ebert, Matthias P.; Dooley, Steven; Wang, Hua ... & Weng, Hong-Lei