Nuclear bile acid receptor FXR in the hepatic regeneration

The liver can fully regenerate itself by a compensatory regrowth in response to partial hepatectomy or injury. This process consists of a variety of well-orchestrated phases and is mediated by many signals. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors. Bile acids are FXR physiological ligands. As a metabolic regulator, FXR plays key roles in regulating metabolism of bile acids, lipids and glucose. Recently, bile acid/FXR signaling pathway is shown to be required for normal liver regeneration. Furthermore, FXR promotes liver repair after injury and activation of FXR is able to alleviate age-related defective liver regeneration. These novel findings suggest that FXR-mediated bile acid signaling is an integrated component of normal liver regeneration machinery, and also highlight the potential use of FXR ligands to promote liver regeneration after segmental liver transplantation or resection of liver tumors. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Translating nuclear receptors from health to disease.

Research Highlights
► FXR mediates bile acid signaling in promoting liver regeneration.
► FXR promotes liver repair after injury.
► FXR promotes the regeneration of aged liver.