A chemical screen to identify novel inhibitors of fin regeneration in zebrafish

We performed a chemical screen to look for novel inhibitors of zebrafish caudal fin regeneration. In a pilot screen, 520 compounds were tested. Two compounds, budesonide and AGN192403, abrogated fin regeneration. One compound in particular, AGN192403, targets the imidazoline receptor, a pathway not previously linked to fin regeneration. In addition to inhibiting regeneration of the adult fin, AGN192403 also blocked regeneration of the larval fin fold. Finally, the inhibitory effect of AGN192403 on fin regeneration persisted after removal of the drug. These studies demonstrate that chemical screening is feasible in adult zebrafish and that it is a reasonable strategy to use for exploring the biology of regeneration.