Epigenetic inhibitor zebularine activates ear pinna wound closure in the mouse

Abstract

This study is the first to demonstrate an effective induction of complex tissue regeneration in adult mammals using zebularine. We showed that the synergistic action of an epigenetic drug (zebularine) and a transcriptional activator (retinoic acid) could be effectively utilized to induce the regenerative response, thus delineating a novel pharmacological strategy for regeneration. The strategy was effective in the model of ear pinna regeneration in mice, but zebularine acts on different cell types, therefore, a similar approach can be tested in other tissues and organs.