We study here the interaction of DD * in the isospin I = 1 channel in the light of recent theoretical advances that allow to combine elements of the local hidden gauge approach with heavy quark spin symmetry. We find that the exchange of light qq is OZI suppressed and, thus, we concentrate on the exchange of heavy vectors and of two pion exchange. The latter is found to be small compared to the exchange of heavy vectors, which then determines the strength of the interaction. A barely DD * bound state decaying into η c ρ and πJ/ψ is found. At the same time we reanalyse the data of the BESIII experiment on e + e − → π ± (DD * ) ∓ , from where a Z c (3885) state was claimed, associated to a peak in the (DD * ) ∓ invariant mass distribution close to threshold, and we find the data compatible with a resonance with mass around 3875 MeV and width around 30 MeV. We discuss the possibility that this and the Z c (3900) state found at BESIII, reconfirmed at 3894 MeV at Belle, or 3885 MeV at CLEO, could all be the same state and correspond to the one that we find theoretically.