Interplay between liver circadian rhythm and regeneration after PHx.

Diurnal oscillations in gene expression are a hallmark of the liver internal clock and can be regulated by a variety of environmental stimuli. The circadian rhythm and liver regeneration (LR) are intimately linked. However, how they affect each other at the transcriptomic level is mainly unknown. Here, we revealed that partial hepatectomy (PHx)-induced LR led to reprogramming of rhythmic gene expression profiles as a consequence of disrupted BMAL1 occupation on the chromatin, while the rhythm of core clock genes remained robust. Furthermore, we demonstrated retarded LR when PHx was carried out in the evening, possibly due to the accumulation of DEC1. In summary, our data offer a broad perspective of the relationship between circadian rhythm and LR and suggest that the timing of PHx should be considered in the clinic application.