Targeted knockdown of DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3a) unlocks dedifferentiation and neurogenic potential in mouse retinal Muller glia.

ABSTRACT: The regenerative response of retinal cells to injury and aging depends on the epigenomic plasticity that enables the dedifferentiation and neuronal differentiation capacities of Müller glial cells (MG). In mammals, this regenerative ability is extremely limited, and disruptions in epigenetic mechanisms, particularly those involving DNA methylation and demethylation, may underlie this restricted potential. To explore this possibility, we aimed to develop DNA methylation-targeting molecular tools to enhance the dedifferentiation and neurogenic capacity of primary MG cultures derived from mouse retina. Using CRISPR/dCas9-based gene regulation technology, we selectively and transiently inhibited Dnmt3a, a de novo DNA methyltransferase previously implicated in maintaining transcriptional repres

SUBMITTER: Victoria-Chavez R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12711019 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature