scholarly journals Targeted Deletion of Loxl3 by Col2a1-Cre Leads to Progressive Hearing Loss

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyi Liu ◽  
Xinfeng Bai ◽  
Peifeng Wan ◽  
Fan Mo ◽  
Ge Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Essential Role ◽  
Basilar Membrane ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Spiral Ligament ◽  
Progressive Hearing Loss ◽  
Secondary Degeneration ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

Collagens are major constituents of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that play an essential role in the structure of the inner ear and provide elasticity and rigidity when the signals of sound are received and transformed into electrical signals. LOXL3 is a member of the lysyl oxidase (LOX) family that are copper-dependent amine oxidases, generating covalent cross-links to stabilize polymeric elastin and collagen fibers in the ECM. Biallelic missense variant of LOXL3 was found in Stickler syndrome with mild conductive hearing loss. However, available information regarding the specific roles of LOXL3 in auditory function is limited. In this study, we showed that the Col2a1-Cre-mediated ablation of Loxl3 in the inner ear can cause progressive hearing loss, degeneration of hair cells and secondary degeneration of spiral ganglion neurons. The abnormal distribution of type II collagen in the spiral ligament and increased inflammatory responses were also found in Col2a1–Loxl3–/– mice. Amino oxidase activity exerts an effect on collagen; thus, Loxl3 deficiency was expected to result in the instability of collagen in the spiral ligament and the basilar membrane, which may interfere with the mechanical properties of the organ of Corti and induce the inflammatory responses that are responsible for the hearing loss. Overall, our findings suggest that Loxl3 may play an essential role in maintaining hearing function.

scholarly journals Intrinsically Self-renewing Neuroprogenitors From the A/J Mouse Spiral Ganglion as Virtually Unlimited Source of Mature Auditory Neurons

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Rousset ◽  
Vivianne B. C. Kokje ◽  
Rebecca Sipione ◽  
Dominik Schmidbauer ◽  
German Nacher-Soler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Auditory Neurons ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

Nearly 460 million individuals are affected by sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), one of the most common human sensory disorders. In mammals, hearing loss is permanent due to the lack of efficient regenerative capacity of the sensory epithelia and spiral ganglion neurons (SGN). Sphere-forming progenitor cells can be isolated from the mammalian inner ear and give rise to inner ear specific cell types in vitro. However, the self-renewing capacities of auditory progenitor cells from the sensory and neuronal compartment are limited to few passages, even after adding powerful growth factor cocktails. Here, we provide phenotypical and functional characterization of a new pool of auditory progenitors as sustainable source for sphere-derived auditory neurons. The so-called phoenix auditory neuroprogenitors, isolated from the A/J mouse spiral ganglion, exhibit robust intrinsic self-renewal properties beyond 40 passages. At any passage or freezing–thawing cycle, phoenix spheres can be efficiently differentiated into mature spiral ganglion cells by withdrawing growth factors. The differentiated cells express both neuronal and glial cell phenotypic markers and exhibit similar functional properties as mouse spiral ganglion primary explants and human sphere-derived spiral ganglion cells. In contrast to other rodent models aiming at sustained production of auditory neurons, no genetic transformation of the progenitors is needed. Phoenix spheres therefore represent an interesting starting point to further investigate self-renewal in the mammalian inner ear, which is still far from any clinical application. In the meantime, phoenix spheres already offer an unlimited source of mammalian auditory neurons for high-throughput screens while substantially reducing the numbers of animals needed.

scholarly journals Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Mitochondrial Apoptosis of Cochlear Spiral Ganglion Neurons in Fibroblast Growth Factor 13 Knockout Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulou Yu ◽  
Jing Yang ◽  
Feng Luan ◽  
Guoqiang Gu ◽  
Ran Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Conditional Knockout ◽  
Spiral Ganglion Neurons ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
Auditory Function ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

Deafness is known to occur in more than 400 syndromes and accounts for almost 30% of hereditary hearing loss. The molecular mechanisms underlying such syndromic deafness remain unclear. Furthermore, deafness has been a common feature in patients with three main syndromes, the BÖrjeson-Forssman-Lehmann syndrome, Wildervanck syndrome, and Congenital Generalized Hirsutism, all of which are characterized by loss-of-function mutations in the Fgf13 gene. Whether the pathogenesis of deafness in these syndromes is associated with the Fgf13 mutation is not known. To elucidate its role in auditory function, we generated a mouse line with conditional knockout of the Fgf13 gene in the inner ear (Fgf13 cKO). FGF13 is expressed predominantly in the organ of Corti, spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), stria vascularis, and the supporting cells. Conditional knockout of the gene in the inner ear led to sensorineural deafness with low amplitude and increased latency of wave I in the auditory brainstem response test but had a normal distortion product otoacoustic emission threshold. Fgf13 deficiency resulted in decreased SGN density from the apical to the basal region without significant morphological changes and those in the number of hair cells. TUNEL and caspase-3 immunocytochemistry assays showed that apoptotic cell death mediated the loss of SGNs. Further detection of apoptotic factors through qRT-PCR suggested the activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in SGNs. Together, this study reveals a novel role for Fgf13 in auditory function, and indicates that the gene could be a potential candidate for understanding deafness. These findings may provide new perspectives on the molecular mechanisms and novel therapeutic targets for treatment deafness.

scholarly journals Type 1 Diabetes Induces Hearing Loss: Functional and Histological Findings in An Akita Mouse Model

Biomedicines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 343
Author(s):  
Yun Yeong Lee ◽  
Yeon Ju Kim ◽  
Eun Sol Gil ◽  
Hantai Kim ◽  
Jeong Hun Jang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Spiral Ganglion Neurons ◽  
Blood Capillary ◽  
Spiral Ligament ◽  
Type I ◽  
Ganglion Neurons ◽  
Akita Mice

The relationship between type 1 diabetes and hearing loss is not well known, although based on many pathological studies, type 2 diabetes induced hearing loss is associated with microcirculation problems in the inner ear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between type 1 diabetes and hearing loss through hearing function and immunohistochemical analyses using type 1 diabetic Akita or wild-type (WT) mice. The Akita mice had a significant increase in hearing thresholds, blood glucose, and insulin tolerance compared to WT mice. Histological analysis showed that the loss of cells and damage to mitochondria in the spiral ganglion neurons of Akita mice were significantly increased compared to WT. Also, the stria vascularis showed decreased thickness, loss of intermediate cells, and disturbance in blood capillary shape in the Akita mice. Moreover, a reduction in type I, II, and IV fibrocytes and Na+/K+-ATPase α1 expression in spiral ligament was also observed. Cleaved caspase-3 expression was highly expressed in spiral ganglion neurons. In conclusion, hearing loss in type 1 diabetes is caused not only by ion imbalance and blood flow disorders of cochlear endolymph, but through the degenerative nervous system via apoptosis-mediated cell death.

scholarly journals Histopathology of the Human Inner Ear in the p.L114P COCH Mutation (DFNA9)

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara J. Burgess ◽  
Jennifer T. O''Malley ◽  
Takefumi Kamakura ◽  
Kris Kristiansen ◽  
Nahid G. Robertson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Spiral Ligament ◽  
Vestibular Disorder ◽  
Profound Hearing Loss ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Human Inner Ear

The histopathology of the inner ear in a patient with hearing loss caused by the p.L114P COCH mutation and its correlation with the clinical phenotype are presented. To date, 23 COCH mutations causative of DFNA9 autosomal dominant sensorineural hearing loss and vestibular disorder have been reported, and the histopathology of the human inner ear has been described in 4 of these. The p.L114P COCH mutation was first described in a Korean family. We have identified the same mutation in a family of non-Asian ancestry in the USA, and the temporal bone histopathology and clinical findings are presented herein. The histopathology found in the inner ear was similar to that shown in the 4 other COCH mutations and included degeneration of the spiral ligament with deposition of an eosinophilic acellular material, which was also found in the distal osseous spiral lamina, at the base of the spiral limbus, and in mesenchymal tissue at the base of the vestibular neuroepithelium. This is the first description of human otopathology of the COCH p.L114P mutation. In addition, it is the only case with otopathology characterization in an individual with any COCH mutation and residual hearing, thus allowing assessment of primary histopathological events in DFNA9, before progression to more profound hearing loss. A quantitative cytologic analysis of atrophy in this specimen and immunostaining using anti-neurofilament and anti-myelin protein zero antibodies confirmed that the principal histopathologic correlate of hearing loss was degeneration of the dendritic fibers of spiral ganglion cells in the osseous spiral lamina. The implications for cochlear implantation in this disorder are discussed.

scholarly journals Molecular Mechanisms and Biological Functions of Autophagy for Genetics of Hearing Impairment

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1331
Author(s):  
Ken Hayashi ◽  
Yuna Suzuki ◽  
Chisato Fujimoto ◽  
Sho Kanzaki
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Eukaryotic Cell ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

The etiology of hearing impairment following cochlear damage can be caused by many factors, including congenital or acquired onset, ototoxic drugs, noise exposure, and aging. Regardless of the many different etiologies, a common pathologic change is auditory cell death. It may be difficult to explain hearing impairment only from the aspect of cell death including apoptosis, necrosis, or necroptosis because the level of hearing loss varies widely. Therefore, we focused on autophagy as an intracellular phenomenon functionally competing with cell death. Autophagy is a dynamic lysosomal degradation and recycling system in the eukaryotic cell, mandatory for controlling the balance between cell survival and cell death induced by cellular stress, and maintaining homeostasis of postmitotic cells, including hair cells (HCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) in the inner ear. Autophagy is considered a candidate for the auditory cell fate decision factor, whereas autophagy deficiency could be one of major causes of hearing impairment. In this paper, we review the molecular mechanisms and biologic functions of autophagy in the auditory system and discuss the latest research concerning autophagy-related genes and sensorineural hearing loss to gain insight into the role of autophagic mechanisms in inner-ear disorders.

Brn3a is a transcriptional regulator of soma size, target field innervation and axon pathfinding of inner ear sensory neurons

Development ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 128 (13) ◽  
pp. 2421-2432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric J. Huang ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
Bernd Fritzsch ◽  
Lynne M. Bianchi ◽  
Louis F. Reichardt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inner Ear ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Neurotrophin Receptor ◽  
Axon Pathfinding ◽  
Target Field ◽  
Afferent Fibers ◽  
Soma Size ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

The POU domain transcription factors Brn3a, Brn3b and Brn3c are required for the proper development of sensory ganglia, retinal ganglion cells, and inner ear hair cells, respectively. We have investigated the roles of Brn3a in neuronal differentiation and target innervation in the facial-stato-acoustic ganglion. We show that absence of Brn3a results in a substantial reduction in neuronal size, abnormal neuronal migration and downregulation of gene expression, including that of the neurotrophin receptor TrkC, parvalbumin and Brn3b. Selective loss of TrkC neurons in the spiral ganglion of Brn3a−/− cochlea leads to an innervation defect similar to that of TrkC−/− mice. Most remarkably, our results uncover a novel role for Brn3a in regulating axon pathfinding and target field innervation by spiral and vestibular ganglion neurons. Loss of Brn3a results in severe retardation in development of the axon projections to the cochlea and the posterior vertical canal as early as E13.5. In addition, efferent axons that use the afferent fibers as a scaffold during pathfinding also show severe misrouting. Interestingly, despite the well-established roles of ephrins and EphB receptors in axon pathfinding, expression of these molecules does not appear to be affected in Brn3a−/− mice. Thus, Brn3a must control additional downstream genes that are required for axon pathfinding.

scholarly journals Functional Roles of High-Affinity Glutamate Transporters in Cochlear Afferent Synaptic Transmission in the Mouse

2010 ◽  
Vol 103 (5) ◽  
pp. 2581-2586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Chen ◽  
Sharon G. Kujawa ◽  
William F. Sewell
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Otoacoustic Emissions ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Glutamate Transporter ◽  
Glutamate Transporters ◽  
Acoustic Stimulation ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Glutamate Transporter 1 ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

In the cochlea, afferent transmission between inner hair cells and auditory neurons is mediated by glutamate receptors. Glutamate transporters located near the synapse and in spiral ganglion neurons are thought to maintain low synaptic levels of glutamate. We analyzed three glutamate transporter blockers for their ability to alter the effects of glutamate, exogenously applied to the synapse via perfusion of the scala tympani of the mouse, and compared that action to their ability to alter the effects of intense acoustic stimulation. Threo-beta-benzyloxyaspartate (TBOA) is a broad-spectrum glutamate transporter antagonist, affecting all three transporters [glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST), glutamate transporter-1 (GLT1), and excitatory amino acid carrier 1 (EAAC1)]. l-serine- O-sulfate (SOS) blocks both GLAST and EAAC1 without effect on GLT1. Dihydrokainate (DHK) is selective for GLT1. Infusion of glutamate (10 μM for 220 min), TBOA (200 μM for 220 min), or SOS (100 μM for 180 min) alone did not alter auditory neural thresholds. When infused together with glutamate, TBOA and SOS produced significant neural threshold shifts, leaving otoacoustic emissions intact. In addition, both TBOA and SOS exacerbated noise-induced hearing loss by producing larger neural threshold shifts and delaying recovery. DHK did not alter glutamate- or noise-induced hearing loss. The evidence points to a major role for GLAST, both in protecting the synapse from exposure to excess extracellular glutamate and in attenuating hearing loss due to acoustic overstimulation.

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