Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes irreversible neuronal loss, disruption of neural circuits, and persistent neurological deficits, while the limited regenerative capacity of the adult central nervous system remains a major barrier to recovery. This review examines the role of epigenetic regulation in neural repair after SCI and highlights its therapeutic potential. We summarize evidence on major epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, as well as their interactions with Wnt/β-catenin signaling and Polycomb group proteins in regulating neural stem/progenitor cell fate, neuronal differentiation, and axonal regeneration. We further discuss epigenetic therapeutic strategies, particularly histone deacetylase inhibition with valproic acid, in combination with neural stem/progenitor cell transplantation. Emerging approaches involving induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitors and direct cellular reprogramming are also considered. Collectively, current evidence suggests that integrating epigenetic modulation with stem cell-based and cellular reprogramming strategies may enhance neural regeneration and functional recovery after SCI and represents a promising direction for future translational research.
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Medical Biology دریافت: 1405/4/27 | پذیرش: 1405/7/26