scholarly journals Hearing loss genes reveal patterns of adaptive evolution at the coding and non-coding levels in mammals

BMC Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anabella P. Trigila ◽  
Francisco Pisciottano ◽  
Lucía F. Franchini
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Adaptive Evolution ◽  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Normal Function ◽  
Transgenic Zebrafish ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Regulatory Regions ◽  
Evolutionary Forces ◽  
Human Specific

Abstract Background Mammals possess unique hearing capacities that differ significantly from those of the rest of the amniotes. In order to gain insights into the evolution of the mammalian inner ear, we aim to identify the set of genetic changes and the evolutionary forces that underlie this process. We hypothesize that genes that impair hearing when mutated in humans or in mice (hearing loss (HL) genes) must play important roles in the development and physiology of the inner ear and may have been targets of selective forces across the evolution of mammals. Additionally, we investigated if these HL genes underwent a human-specific evolutionary process that could underlie the evolution of phenotypic traits that characterize human hearing. Results We compiled a dataset of HL genes including non-syndromic deafness genes identified by genetic screenings in humans and mice. We found that many genes including those required for the normal function of the inner ear such as LOXHD1, TMC1, OTOF, CDH23, and PCDH15 show strong signatures of positive selection. We also found numerous noncoding accelerated regions in HL genes, and among them, we identified active transcriptional enhancers through functional enhancer assays in transgenic zebrafish. Conclusions Our results indicate that the key inner ear genes and regulatory regions underwent adaptive evolution in the basal branch of mammals and along the human-specific branch, suggesting that they could have played an important role in the functional remodeling of the cochlea. Altogether, our data suggest that morphological and functional evolution could be attained through molecular changes affecting both coding and noncoding regulatory regions.

Drug Delivery to the Inner Ear: Strategies and Their Therapeutic Implications for Sensorineural Hearing Loss

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Rivera ◽  
Lorena Sanz ◽  
Guadalupe Camarero ◽  
Isabel Varela-Nieto
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Therapeutic Implications

scholarly journals Cochlear Nerve Canal Stenosis: Association With MYH14 and MYH9 Genes

2021 ◽  
pp. 014556132199683
Author(s):  
Wenqi Liang ◽  
Line Wang ◽  
Xinyu Song ◽  
Fenqi Gao ◽  
Pan Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Next Generation Sequencing ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Internal Auditory Canal ◽  
Cochlear Nerve ◽  
Transverse Diameter ◽  
Congenital Hearing Loss ◽  
Canal Stenosis ◽  
Ear Anomalies ◽  
Generation Sequencing

The bony cochlear nerve canal transmits the cochlear nerve as it passes from the fundus of the internal auditory canal to the cochlea. Stenosis of the cochlear nerve canal, defined as a diameter less than 1.0 mm in transverse diameter, is associated with inner ear anomalies and severe to profound congenital hearing loss. We describe an 11-month-old infant with nonsyndromic congenital sensorineural hearing loss with cochlear nerve canal stenosis. Next-generation sequencing revealed heterozygous mutations in MYH9 and MYH14, encoding for the inner ear proteins myosin heavy chain IIA and IIC. The patient’s hearing was rehabilitated with bilateral cochlear implantation.

scholarly journals Inner Ear and Muscle Developmental Defects in Smpx-Deficient Zebrafish Embryos

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6497
Author(s):  
Anna Ghilardi ◽  
Alberto Diana ◽  
Renato Bacchetta ◽  
Nadia Santo ◽  
Miriam Ascagni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Hair Cells ◽  
Muscle Fibers ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Zebrafish Model ◽  
Developmental Defects ◽  
Inner Ear Development ◽  
Syndromic Hearing Loss

The last decade has witnessed the identification of several families affected by hereditary non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL) caused by mutations in the SMPX gene and the loss of function has been suggested as the underlying mechanism. In the attempt to confirm this hypothesis we generated an Smpx-deficient zebrafish model, pointing out its crucial role in proper inner ear development. Indeed, a marked decrease in the number of kinocilia together with structural alterations of the stereocilia and the kinocilium itself in the hair cells of the inner ear were observed. We also report the impairment of the mechanotransduction by the hair cells, making SMPX a potential key player in the construction of the machinery necessary for sound detection. This wealth of evidence provides the first possible explanation for hearing loss in SMPX-mutated patients. Additionally, we observed a clear muscular phenotype consisting of the defective organization and functioning of muscle fibers, strongly suggesting a potential role for the protein in the development of muscle fibers. This piece of evidence highlights the need for more in-depth analyses in search for possible correlations between SMPX mutations and muscular disorders in humans, thus potentially turning this non-syndromic hearing loss-associated gene into the genetic cause of dysfunctions characterized by more than one symptom, making SMPX a novel syndromic gene.

scholarly journals Ultrasound Microbubbles Enhance the Efficacy of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Therapy for the Treatment of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 3626
Author(s):  
Yi-Chun Lin ◽  
Yuan-Yung Lin ◽  
Hsin-Chien Chen ◽  
Chao-Yin Kuo ◽  
Ai-Ho Liao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Outer Hair Cells ◽  
Round Window Membrane ◽  
Insulin Like Growth Factor ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Ear Diseases ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Ultrasound Microbubbles

The application of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) to the round window membrane (RWM) is an emerging treatment for inner ear diseases. RWM permeability is the key factor for efficient IGF-1 delivery. Ultrasound microbubbles (USMBs) can increase drug permeation through the RWM. In the present study, the enhancing effect of USMBs on the efficacy of IGF-1 application and the treatment effect of USMB-mediated IGF-1 delivery for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) were investigated. Forty-seven guinea pigs were assigned to three groups: the USM group, which received local application of recombinant human IGF-1 (rhIGF-1, 10 µg/µL) following application of USMBs to the RWM; the RWS group, which received IGF-1 application alone; and the saline-treated group. The perilymphatic concentration of rhIGF-1 in the USM group was 1.95- and 1.67- fold of that in the RWS group, 2 and 24 h after treatment, respectively. After 5 h of 118 dB SPL noise exposure, the USM group had the lowest threshold shift in auditory brainstem response, least loss of cochlear outer hair cells, and least reduction in the number of synaptic ribbons on postexposure day 28 among the three groups. The combination of USMB and IGF-1 led to a better therapeutic response to NIHL. Two hours after treatment, the USM group had significantly higher levels of Akt1 and Mapk3 gene expression than the other two groups. The most intense immunostaining for phosphor-AKT and phospho-ERK1/2 was detected in the cochlea in the USM group. These results suggested that USMB can be applied to enhance the efficacy of IGF-1 therapy in the treatment of inner ear diseases.

scholarly journals A Human Inner Ear Model for assessment of Noise Induced Hearing Loss via energy methods

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 16424-16429
Author(s):  
Milka C.I. Madahana ◽  
Otis T.C. Nyandoro ◽  
John E.D. Ekoru
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Energy Methods ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Human Inner Ear

Advances in Inner Ear Therapeutics for Hearing Loss in Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-294
Author(s):  
Ksenia A. Aaron ◽  
Grace S. Kim ◽  
Alan G. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear

Cytomegalovirus Isolation from a Human Inner Ear

1979 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 424-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry E. Davis ◽  
Charles G. James ◽  
Frederick Fiber ◽  
Leroy C. McLaren
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Congenital Deafness ◽  
Cmv Infection ◽  
Human Inner Ear ◽  
Congenital Cmv

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the fetus has been associated with congenital deafness or hearing loss. This association has previously been based on clinical or pathological studies. We report an infant who died with the congenital CMV syndrome in which CMV was isolated from the perilymph of the inner ear providing additional evidence that this virus can infect the labyrinth.

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