High levels of Myc expression are required for the robust proliferation of hepatocytes, but not for the sustained weak proliferation

In contrast to the robust proliferation exhibited following acute liver injury, hepatocytes exhibit long-lasting proliferative activity in chronic liver injury. The mechanistic differences between these distinct modes of proliferation are unclear. Hepatocytes exhibited robust proliferation that peaked at 2 days following partial hepatectomy in mice, but this proliferation was completely inhibited by hepatocyte-specific expression of MadMyc, a Myc-suppressing chimeric protein. However, Myc suppression induced weak but continuous hepatocyte proliferation, thereby resulting in full restoration of liver mass despite an initial delay. Late-occurring proliferation was accompanied by prolonged suppression of proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) expression, and forced PRODH overexpression inhibited hepatocyte proliferation. In hepatocytes in chronic liver injury, Myc was not activated but PRODH expression was suppressed in regenerating hepatocytes. In liver tumors, PRODH expression was often suppressed, especially in the highly proliferative tumors with distinct Myc expression. Our results indicate that the robust proliferation of hepatocytes following acute liver injury requires high levels Myc expression and that there is a compensatory Myc-independent mode of hepatocyte proliferation with the regulation of proline metabolism, which might be relevant to liver regeneration in chronic injury. [Display omitted] •Robust regenerative hepatocyte proliferation is inhibited by Myc suppression.•Myc suppression induces late-occurring low-level hepatocyte proliferation.•Late-occurring proliferation is accompanied by prolonged PRODH suppression.•Forced PRODH overexpression inhibits the late-occurring hepatocyte proliferation.•PRODH is suppressed in liver tumors, especially in Myc-positive proliferative tumors.