Metabolic adaptations direct cell fate during tissue regeneration

Although cell-fate specification is generally attributed to transcriptional regulation, emerging data also indicate a role for molecules linked with intermediary metabolism. For example, α-ketoglutarate (αKG), which fuels energy production and biosynthetic pathways in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, is also a co-factor for chromatin-modifying enzymes1–3. Nevertheless, whether TCA-cycle metabolites regulate cell fate during tissue homeostasis and regeneration remains unclear. Here we show that TCA-cycle enzymes are expressed in the intestine in a heterogeneous manner, with components of the αKG dehydrogenase complex4–6 upregulated in the absorptive lineage and downregulated in the secretory lineage. Using genetically modified mouse models and organoids, we reveal that 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH), the enzymatic subunit of the αKG dehydrogenase complex, has a dual, lineage-specific role. In the absorptive lineage, OGDH is upregulated by HNF4 transcription factors to maintain the bioenergetic and biosynthetic needs of enterocytes. In the secretory lineage, OGDH is downregulated through a process that, when modelled, increases the levels of αKG and stimulates the differentiation of secretory cells. Consistent with this, in mouse models of colitis with impaired differentiation and maturation of secretory cells, inhibition of OGDH or supplementation with αKG reversed these impairments and promoted tissue healing. Hence, OGDH dependency is lineage-specific, and its regulation helps to direct cell fate, offering insights for targeted therapies in regenerative medicine.