SETDB1 promotes mammalian liver regeneration by stimulating cytokine CSF3 in hepatocytes

Discovering mechanisms of regeneration holds great promise for advancing regenerative medicine. Non-histone modifications by epigenetic factors participate in important biological processes. Through in vivo CRISPR screening combined with partial hepatectomy (PHx-CRISPR), we identified the histone H3K9 methyltransferase SETDB1 as an enhancer of regeneration. Loss of SETDB1 delays regeneration, and overexpressing SETDB1 accelerates liver regeneration across various liver injury models. SETDB1 promotes liver regeneration by positively regulating the expression of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (CSF3) in hepatocytes. SETDB1 facilitates the expression of CSF3 in hepatocytes by methylating and activating AKT, establishing CSF3 as a critical downstream effector in the SETDB1-AKT liver regeneration pathway. Notably, increasing SETDB1 levels in humanized mouse liver suppresses drug-induced liver damage. Our findings reveal an unexpected role for non-histone modification by SETDB1 in regulating cytokine signaling during liver regeneration and offer insights into targeted therapies for regenerative medicine and tissue repair.