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Huang G, Eckrich S. Quantitative Fluorescent in situ Hybridization Reveals Differential Transcription Profile Sharpening of Endocytic Proteins in Cochlear Hair Cells Upon Maturation. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:643517. [PMID: 33716676 PMCID: PMC7952526 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.643517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The organ of Corti (OC) comprises two types of sensory cells: outer hair cells (OHCs) and inner hair cells (IHCs). While both are mechanotransducers, OHCs serve as cochlear amplifiers, whereas IHCs transform sound into transmitter release. Reliable sound encoding is ensured by indefatigable exocytosis of synaptic vesicles associated with efficient replenishment of the vesicle pool. Vesicle reformation requires retrieval of vesicle membrane from the hair cell’s membrane via endocytosis. So far, the protein machinery for endocytosis in pre-mature and terminally differentiated hair cells has only partially been deciphered. Here, we studied three endocytic proteins, dynamin-1, dynamin-3, and endophilin-A1, by assessing their transcription profiles in pre-mature and mature mouse OCs. State-of-the-art RNAscope® fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) of whole-mount OCs was used for quantification of target mRNAs on single-cell level. We found that pre-mature IHCs contained more mRNA transcripts of dnm1 (encoding dynamin-1) and sh3gl2 (endophilin-A1), but less of dnm3 (dynamin-3) than OHCs. These differential transcription profiles between OHCs and IHCs were sharpened upon maturation. It is noteworthy that low but heterogeneous signal numbers were found between individual negative controls, which highlights the importance of corresponding analyses in RNAscope® assays. Complementary immunolabeling revealed strong expression of dynamin-1 in the soma of mature IHCs, which was much weaker in pre-mature IHCs. By contrast, dynamin-3 was predominantly found in the soma and at the border of the cuticular plates of pre-mature and mature OHCs. In summary, using quantitative RNAscope® FISH and immunohistochemistry on whole-mount tissue of both pre-mature and mature OCs, we disclosed the cellular upregulation of endocytic proteins at the level of transcription/translation during terminal differentiation of the OC. Dynamin-1 and endophilin-A1 likely contribute to the strengthening of the endocytic machinery in IHCs after the onset of hearing, whereas expression of dynamin-3 at the cuticular plate of pre-mature and mature OHCs suggests its possible involvement in activity-independent apical endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guobin Huang
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Department of Biophysics, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Eckrich
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Department of Biophysics, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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2
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Developmental and Functional Hair Cell-Like Cells Induced by Atoh1 Overexpression in the Adult Mammalian Cochlea In Vitro. Neural Plast 2020; 2020:8885813. [PMID: 33204251 PMCID: PMC7661126 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8885813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair cells (HCs) in the mammalian cochleae cannot spontaneously regenerate once damaged, resulting in permanent hearing loss. It has been shown that Atoh1 overexpression induces hair cell-like cells (HCLCs) in the cochlea of newborn rodents, but this is hard to achieve in adult mammals. In this study, we used a three-dimensional cochlear culture system and an adenoviral-mediated delivery vector to overexpress Atoh1 in adult mouse cochleae. HCLCs were successfully induced from 3 days after virus infection (3 DVI) in vitro, and the number increased with time. HCLCs were myosin7a positive and distinguishable from remnant HCs in a culture environment. Meanwhile, patch-clamp results showed that noninactive outward potassium currents (sustained outward potassium currents) could be recorded in HCLCs and that their magnitude increased with time, similar to normal HCs. Furthermore, transient HCN currents were recorded in some HCLCs, indicating that the HCLCs experienced a developmental stage similar to normal HCs. We also compared the electrophysiological features of HCLCs from adult mice with native HCs and found the HCLCs gradually matured, similar to the normal HCs. Meanwhile, HCLCs from adult mice possessed the same bundles as developmental HCs. However, these HCLCs did not express prestin, which is a special marker for outer hair cells (OHCs), even at 13 DVI. These results demonstrate that Atoh1 overexpression induces HCLC formation in the adult mammalian cochlea and that these HCLCs were functional and experienced a developmental process similar to that of normal HCs.
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3
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Zhou Y, Xia C, Yin M, Wang X, Wu H, Ji Y. Distribution and Functional Characteristics of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels in Immature Cochlear Hair Cells. Neurosci Bull 2020; 36:49-65. [PMID: 31388930 PMCID: PMC6940418 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-019-00415-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are transiently expressed in cochlear hair cells before hearing onset and play an indispensable role in shaping spontaneous activity. In this study, we showed that Na+ currents shaped the spontaneous action potentials in developing mouse inner hair cells (IHCs) by decreasing the time required for the membrane potential to reach the action-potential threshold. In immature IHCs, we identified 9 known VGSC subtypes (Nav1.1α-1.9α), among which Nav1.7α was the most highly expressed subtype and the main contributor to Na+ currents in developing hair cells. Electrophysiological recordings of two cochlea-specific Nav1.7 variants (CbmNav1.7a and CbmNav1.7b) revealed a novel loss-of-function mutation (C934R) at the extracellular linker between segments 5 and 6 of domain II. In addition, post-transcriptional modification events, such as alternative splicing and RNA editing, amended the gating properties and kinetic features of CbmNav1.7a(C934). These results provide molecular and functional characteristics of VGSCs in mammalian IHCs and their contributions to spontaneous physiological activity during cochlear maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Zhou
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Chenchen Xia
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Manli Yin
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Xueling Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200125, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China.
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200125, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200125, China.
| | - Yonghua Ji
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
- Translational Institute for Cancer Pain, Xinhua Hospital Chongming Branch, Shanghai, 202150, China.
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4
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Johnson SL, Safieddine S, Mustapha M, Marcotti W. Hair Cell Afferent Synapses: Function and Dysfunction. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2019; 9:a033175. [PMID: 30617058 PMCID: PMC6886459 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a033175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
To provide a meaningful representation of the auditory landscape, mammalian cochlear hair cells are optimized to detect sounds over an incredibly broad range of frequencies and intensities with unparalleled accuracy. This ability is largely conferred by specialized ribbon synapses that continuously transmit acoustic information with high fidelity and sub-millisecond precision to the afferent dendrites of the spiral ganglion neurons. To achieve this extraordinary task, ribbon synapses employ a unique combination of molecules and mechanisms that are tailored to sounds of different frequencies. Here we review the current understanding of how the hair cell's presynaptic machinery and its postsynaptic afferent connections are formed, how they mature, and how their function is adapted for an accurate perception of sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart L Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Saaid Safieddine
- UMRS 1120, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Complexité du Vivant, Paris, France
| | - Mirna Mustapha
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94035
| | - Walter Marcotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom
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5
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Berekméri E, Fekete Á, Köles L, Zelles T. Postnatal Development of the Subcellular Structures and Purinergic Signaling of Deiters' Cells along the Tonotopic Axis of the Cochlea. Cells 2019; 8:cells8101266. [PMID: 31627326 PMCID: PMC6830339 DOI: 10.3390/cells8101266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Exploring the development of the hearing organ helps in the understanding of hearing and hearing impairments and it promotes the development of the regenerative approaches-based therapeutic efforts. The role of supporting cells in the development of the organ of Corti is much less elucidated than that of the cochlear sensory receptor cells. The use of our recently published method of single-cell electroporation loading of a fluorescent Ca2+ probe in the mouse hemicochlea preparation provided an appropriate means to investigate the Deiters’ cells at the subcellular level in two different cochlear turns (apical, middle). Deiters’ cell’s soma and process elongated, and the process became slimmer by maturation without tonotopic preference. The tonotopically heterogeneous spontaneous Ca2+ activity less frequently occurred by maturation and implied subcellular difference. The exogenous ATP- and UTP-evoked Ca2+ responses were maturation-dependent and showed P2Y receptor dominance in the apical turn. By monitoring the basic structural dimensions of this supporting cell type as well as its spontaneous and evoked purinergic Ca2+ signaling in the hemicochlea preparation in different stages in the critical postnatal P5-25 developmental period for the first time, we showed that the soma and the phalangeal process of the Deiters’ cells go through age- and tonotopy-dependent changes in the morphometric parameters and purinergic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Berekméri
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., 1089 Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Rottenbiller u. 50., 1077 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Ádám Fekete
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada.
| | - László Köles
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., 1089 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Tibor Zelles
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., 1089 Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szigony u. 43., 1083 Budapest, Hungary.
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6
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Lang I, Jung M, Niemeyer BA, Ruth P, Engel J. Expression of the LRRC52 γ subunit (γ2) may provide Ca 2+-independent activation of BK currents in mouse inner hair cells. FASEB J 2019; 33:11721-11734. [PMID: 31348683 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900701rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian inner hair cells (IHCs) transduce sound into depolarization and transmitter release. Big conductance and voltage- and Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels are responsible for fast membrane repolarization and small time constants of mature IHCs. For unknown reasons, they activate at around -75 mV with a voltage of half-maximum activation (Vhalf) of -50 mV although being largely insensitive to Ca2+ influx. Ca2+-independent activation of BK channels was observed by others in heterologous expression systems if γ subunits leucine-rich repeat-containing protein (LRRC)26 (γ1) and LRRC52 (γ2) were coexpressed with the pore-forming BKα subunit, which shifted Vhalf by -140 and -100 mV, respectively. Using nested PCR, we consistently detected transcripts for LRRC52 but not for LRRC26 in IHCs of 3-wk-old mice. Confocal immunohistochemistry showed synchronous up-regulation of LRRC52 protein with BKα at the onset of hearing. Colocalization of LRRC52 protein and BKα at the IHC neck within ≤40 nm was specified using an in situ proximity ligation assay. Mice deficient for the voltage-gated Cav1.3 Ca2+ channel encoded by Cacna1d do not express BKα protein. LRRC52 protein was neither expressed in IHCs of BKα nor in IHCs of Cav1.3 knockout mice. Together, LRRC52 is a γ2 subunit of BK channel complexes and is a strong candidate for causing the Ca2+-independent activation of BK currents at negative membrane potentials in mouse IHCs.-Lang, I., Jung, M., Niemeyer, B. A., Ruth, P., Engel, J. Expression of the LRRC52 γ subunit (γ2) may provide Ca2+-independent activation of BK currents in mouse inner hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Lang
- Hearing Research, Department of Biophysics and Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Martin Jung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Barbara A Niemeyer
- Molecular Biophysics, Department of Biophysics and Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Peter Ruth
- Institute of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jutta Engel
- Hearing Research, Department of Biophysics and Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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7
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Zhou Y, Pan P, Tan ZY, Ji YH. Voltage-gated Sodium Channels in Sensory Information Processing. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2019; 18:273-278. [DOI: 10.2174/1871527317666180627114849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective & Background:
Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) and potassium channels
are critical in the generation of action potentials in the nervous system. VGSCs and potassium
channels play important roles in the five fundamental senses of vision, audition, olfaction, taste and
touch. Dysfunctional VGSCs are associated with clinical sensory symptoms, such as hyperpselaphesia,
parosphresia, and so on.
Conclusion:
This short review highlights the recent advances in the study of VGSCs in sensory information
processing and discusses the potential role of VGSCs to serve as pharmacological targets for
the treatment of sensory system diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Zhou
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Ping Pan
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Tan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
| | - Yong-Hua Ji
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
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8
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Köles L, Szepesy J, Berekméri E, Zelles T. Purinergic Signaling and Cochlear Injury-Targeting the Immune System? Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20122979. [PMID: 31216722 PMCID: PMC6627352 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20122979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing impairment is the most common sensory deficit, affecting more than 400 million people worldwide. Sensorineural hearing losses currently lack any specific or efficient pharmacotherapy largely due to the insufficient knowledge of the pathomechanism. Purinergic signaling plays a substantial role in cochlear (patho)physiology. P2 (ionotropic P2X and the metabotropic P2Y) as well as adenosine receptors expressed on cochlear sensory and non-sensory cells are involved mostly in protective mechanisms of the cochlea. They are implicated in the sensitivity adjustment of the receptor cells by a K+ shunt and can attenuate the cochlear amplification by modifying cochlear micromechanics. Cochlear blood flow is also regulated by purines. Here, we propose to comprehend this field with the purine-immune interactions in the cochlea. The role of harmful immune mechanisms in sensorineural hearing losses has been emerging in the horizon of cochlear pathologies. In addition to decreasing hearing sensitivity and increasing cochlear blood supply, influencing the immune system can be the additional avenue for pharmacological targeting of purinergic signaling in the cochlea. Elucidating this complexity of purinergic effects on cochlear functions is necessary and it can result in development of new therapeutic approaches in hearing disabilities, especially in the noise-induced ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Köles
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Judit Szepesy
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Eszter Berekméri
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Tibor Zelles
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1083 Budapest, Hungary.
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9
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Lin SCY, Thorne PR, Housley GD, Vlajkovic SM. Purinergic Signaling and Aminoglycoside Ototoxicity: The Opposing Roles of P1 (Adenosine) and P2 (ATP) Receptors on Cochlear Hair Cell Survival. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:207. [PMID: 31156393 PMCID: PMC6529511 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Purinergic signaling regulates important physiological processes and the homeostatic response to stress in the cochlea via extracellular nucleosides (adenosine) and nucleotides (ATP, UTP). Using a previously established organotypic culture model, the current study investigated the effect of purinergic P1 (adenosine) and P2 (ATP) receptor activation on the survival of the sensory hair cell population in the cochlea exposed to the ototoxic aminoglycoside neomycin. Organ of Corti explants were obtained from C57BL/6 mice at postnatal day 3 (P3) and maintained in normal culture medium (with or without purine receptor agonists or analogs) for 19.5 h prior to neomycin exposure (1 mM, 3 h) followed by a further incubation for 19.5 h in culture medium. The cochlear explants were then fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) and sensory hair cells labeled with Alexa 488-phalloidin. Neomycin induced a substantial loss of the sensory hair cells, mostly in the middle segment of the cochlea. This neomycin-induced ototoxicity was unaffected by the addition of P2 receptor agonists (ATP and UTP) in the culture medium, whilst the addition of their slowly-hydrolyzable analogs (ATPγS, UTPγS) aggravated neomycin-induced sensory hair cell loss. In contrast, the activation of P1 receptors by adenosine or adenosine amine congener (ADAC) conferred partial protection from neomycin ototoxicity. This study demonstrates a pro-survival effect of P1 receptor stimulation, whilst prolonged activation of P2 receptors has an opposite effect. Based on these findings, we postulate that P1 and P2 receptors orchestrate differential responses to cochlear injury and that the balance of these receptors is important for maintaining cochlear homeostasis following ototoxic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelly C Y Lin
- Department of Physiology and The Eisdell Moore Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter R Thorne
- Department of Physiology and The Eisdell Moore Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Gary D Housley
- Department of Physiology and Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Srdjan M Vlajkovic
- Department of Physiology and The Eisdell Moore Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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10
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Ceriani F, Hendry A, Jeng JY, Johnson SL, Stephani F, Olt J, Holley MC, Mammano F, Engel J, Kros CJ, Simmons DD, Marcotti W. Coordinated calcium signalling in cochlear sensory and non-sensory cells refines afferent innervation of outer hair cells. EMBO J 2019; 38:embj.201899839. [PMID: 30804003 PMCID: PMC6484507 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201899839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Outer hair cells (OHCs) are highly specialized sensory cells conferring the fine‐tuning and high sensitivity of the mammalian cochlea to acoustic stimuli. Here, by genetically manipulating spontaneous Ca2+ signalling in mice in vivo, through a period of early postnatal development, we find that the refinement of OHC afferent innervation is regulated by complementary spontaneous Ca2+ signals originating in OHCs and non‐sensory cells. OHCs fire spontaneous Ca2+ action potentials during a narrow period of neonatal development. Simultaneously, waves of Ca2+ activity in the non‐sensory cells of the greater epithelial ridge cause, via ATP‐induced activation of P2X3 receptors, the increase and synchronization of the Ca2+ activity in nearby OHCs. This synchronization is required for the refinement of their immature afferent innervation. In the absence of connexin channels, Ca2+ waves are impaired, leading to a reduction in the number of ribbon synapses and afferent fibres on OHCs. We propose that the correct maturation of the afferent connectivity of OHCs requires experience‐independent Ca2+ signals from sensory and non‐sensory cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ceriani
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Aenea Hendry
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jing-Yi Jeng
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Stuart L Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Friederike Stephani
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Jennifer Olt
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Matthew C Holley
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Fabio Mammano
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Italian National Research Council, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Jutta Engel
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Corné J Kros
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | | | - Walter Marcotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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11
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Berekméri E, Szepesy J, Köles L, Zelles T. Purinergic signaling in the organ of Corti: Potential therapeutic targets of sensorineural hearing losses. Brain Res Bull 2019; 151:109-118. [PMID: 30721767 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Purinergic signaling is deeply involved in the development, functions and protective mechanisms of the cochlea. Release of ATP and activation of purinergic receptors on sensory and supporting/epithelial cells play a substantial role in cochlear (patho)physiology. Both the ionotropic P2X and the metabotropic P2Y receptors are widely distributed on the inner and outer hair cells as well as on the different supporting cells in the organ of Corti and on other epithelial cells in the scala media. Among others, they are implicated in the sensitivity adjustment of the receptor cells by a K+ shunt and can attenuate the cochlear amplification by modifying cochlear micromechanics acting on outer hair cells and supporting cells. Cochlear blood flow is also regulated by purines. Sensorineural hearing losses currently lack any specific or efficient pharmacotherapy. Decreasing hearing sensitivity and increasing cochlear blood supply by pharmacological targeting of purinergic signaling in the cochlea are potential new therapeutic approaches in these hearing disabilities, especially in the noise-induced ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Berekméri
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Szepesy
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Köles
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tibor Zelles
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
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12
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Bai H, Wang X, Gao X, Bing J, Wang W, Zhang X, Xi C, Jiang L, Zhang X, Han Z, Zeng S, Xu J. Study of the Mechanisms by Which Aminoglycoside Damage Is Prevented in Chick Embryonic Hair Cells. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2018; 20:21-35. [PMID: 30341698 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-018-00700-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A major side effect of aminoglycoside antibiotics is mammalian hair cell death. It is thus intriguing that embryonic chick hair cells treated with aminoglycosides at embryonic day (E) 12 are insensitive to ototoxicity. To exclude some unknown factors in vivo that might be involved in preventing aminoglycoside damage to embryonic hair cells, we first cultured chick embryonic basilar papilla (BP) with an aminoglycoside antibiotic in vitro. The results indicated that the hair cells were almost intact at E12 and E14 and were only moderately damaged in most parts of the BP at E16 and E18. Generally, hair cells residing in the approximate and abneural regions were more susceptible to streptomycin damage. After incubation with gentamicin-conjugated Texas Red (GTTR), which is typically used to trace the entry route of aminoglycosides, GTTR fluorescence was not remarkable in hair cells at E12, was weak at E14, but was relatively strong in the proximal part of BP at E18. This result indicates that the amounts of GTTR that entered the hair cells are related to the degrees of aminoglycoside damage. The study further showed that the fluorescence intensity of GTTR decreased to a low level at E14 to E18 after disruption of mechanotransduction machinery, suggesting that the aminoglycoside entry into hair cells was mainly through mechanotransduction channels. In addition, most of the entered GTTR was not found to be colocalized with mitochondria even at E18. This finding provides another reason to explain why embryonic chick hair cells are insensitive to aminoglycoside damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanju Bai
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, 100088, China
| | - Xue Gao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, 100088, China
| | - Jie Bing
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Weiqian Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, 100088, China
| | - Xuebo Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, 571158, China
| | - Chao Xi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Lingling Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xinwen Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, 571158, China
| | - Zhongming Han
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, 100088, China
| | - Shaoju Zeng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Gene Resource and Molecular Development, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Jincao Xu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The General Hospital of the PLA Rocket Force, Beijing, 100088, China.
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Eckrich T, Blum K, Milenkovic I, Engel J. Fast Ca 2+ Transients of Inner Hair Cells Arise Coupled and Uncoupled to Ca 2+ Waves of Inner Supporting Cells in the Developing Mouse Cochlea. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:264. [PMID: 30104958 PMCID: PMC6077211 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Before the onset of hearing, which occurs around postnatal day 12 (P12) in mice, inner hair cells (IHCs) of the immature cochlea generate sound-independent Ca2+ action potentials (APs), which stimulate the auditory pathway and guide maturation of neuronal circuits. During these early postnatal days, intercellular propagating Ca2+ waves elicited by ATP-induced ATP release are found in inner supporting cells (ISCs). It is debated whether IHCs are able to fire Ca2+ APs independently or require a trigger by an ISC Ca2+ wave. To identify the Ca2+ transients of IHCs underlying Ca2+ APs and to analyze their dependence on ISC Ca2+ waves, we performed fast Ca2+ imaging of Fluo-8 AM-loaded organs of Corti at P4/P5. Fast Ca2+ transients (fCaTs) generated by IHCs were simultaneously imaged with Ca2+ waves in ISCs. ISC Ca2+ waves frequently evoked bursts consisting of >5 fCaTs in multiple adjacent IHCs. Although Ca2+ elevations of small amplitude appeared to be triggered by ISC Ca2+ waves in IHCs of Cav1.3 knockout mice we never observed fCaTs, indicating their requirement for Ca2+ influx through Cav1.3 channels. The Ca2+ wave-triggered Ca2+ upstroke in wildtype IHCs occurred 0.52 ± 0.27 s later than the rise of the Ca2+ signal in the adjacent ISCs. In comparison, superfusion of 1 μM ATP elicited bursts of fCaTs in IHCs starting 0.99 ± 0.34 s prior to Ca2+ elevations in adjacent ISCs. PPADS irreversibly abolished Ca2+ waves in ISCs and reversibly reduced fCaTs in IHCs indicating differential involvement of P2 receptors. IHC and ISC Ca2+ signals were however unaltered in P2X2R/P2X3R double knockout or in P2X7R knockout mice. Together, our data revealed a fairly similar occurrence of fCaTs within a burst (56.5%) compared with 43.5% as isolated single fCaTs or in groups of 2–5 fCaTs (minibursts). We provide evidence that IHCs autonomously generate single fCaTs and minibursts whereas bursts synchronized between neighboring IHCs were mostly triggered by ISC Ca2+ waves. Neonatal IHCs thus spontaneously generate electrical and Ca2+ activity, which is enhanced and largely synchronized by activity of ISCs of Kölliker’s organ indicating two sources of spontaneous activity in the developing auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Eckrich
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Blum
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Ivan Milenkovic
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jutta Engel
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
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14
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In vivo genetic manipulation of inner ear connexin expression by bovine adeno-associated viral vectors. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6567. [PMID: 28779115 PMCID: PMC5544751 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06759-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown that in vitro transduction with bovine adeno–associated viral (BAAV) vectors restores connexin expression and rescues gap junction coupling in cochlear organotypic cultures from connexin–deficient mice that are models DFNB1 nonsyndromic hearing loss and deafness. The aims of this study were to manipulate inner ear connexin expression in vivo using BAAV vectors, and to identify the optimal route of vector delivery. Injection of a BAAV vector encoding a bacterial Cre recombinase via canalostomy in adult mice with floxed connexin 26 (Cx26) alleles promoted Cre/LoxP recombination, resulting in decreased Cx26 expression, decreased endocochlear potential, increased hearing thresholds, and extensive loss of outer hair cells. Injection of a BAAV vector encoding GFP-tagged Cx30 via canalostomy in P4 mice lacking connexin 30 (Cx30) promoted formation of Cx30 gap junctions at points of contacts between adjacent non-sensory cells of the cochlear sensory epithelium. Levels of exogenous Cx30 decayed over time, but were still detectable four weeks after canalostomy. Our results suggest that persistence of BAAV-mediated gene replacement in the cochlea is limited by the extensive remodeling of the organ of Corti throughout postnatal development and associated loss of non-sensory cells.
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15
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Connexin-Mediated Signaling in Nonsensory Cells Is Crucial for the Development of Sensory Inner Hair Cells in the Mouse Cochlea. J Neurosci 2017; 37:258-268. [PMID: 28077706 PMCID: PMC5242392 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2251-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the genes encoding for gap junction proteins connexin 26 (Cx26) and connexin 30 (Cx30) have been linked to syndromic and nonsyndromic hearing loss in mice and humans. The release of ATP from connexin hemichannels in cochlear nonsensory cells has been proposed to be the main trigger for action potential activity in immature sensory inner hair cells (IHCs), which is crucial for the refinement of the developing auditory circuitry. Using connexin knock-out mice, we show that IHCs fire spontaneous action potentials even in the absence of ATP-dependent intercellular Ca2+ signaling in the nonsensory cells. However, this signaling from nonsensory cells was able to increase the intrinsic IHC firing frequency. We also found that connexin expression is key to IHC functional maturation. In Cx26 conditional knock-out mice (Cx26Sox10-Cre), the maturation of IHCs, which normally occurs at approximately postnatal day 12, was partially prevented. Although Cx30 has been shown not to be required for hearing in young adult mice, IHCs from Cx30 knock-out mice exhibited a comprehensive brake in their development, such that their basolateral membrane currents and synaptic machinery retain a prehearing phenotype. We propose that IHC functional differentiation into mature sensory receptors is initiated in the prehearing cochlea provided that the expression of either connexin reaches a threshold level. As such, connexins regulate one of the most crucial functional refinements in the mammalian cochlea, the disruption of which contributes to the deafness phenotype observed in mice and DFNB1 patients. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The correct development and function of the mammalian cochlea relies not only on the sensory hair cells, but also on the surrounding nonsensory cells. Although the nonsensory cells have been largely implicated in the general homeostasis in the mature cochlea, their involvement in the initial functional differentiation of the sensory inner hair cells is less clear. Using mutant mouse models for the most common form of congenital deafness in humans, which are knock-outs for the gap-junction channels connexin 26 and connexin 30 genes, we show that defects in nonsensory cells prevented the functional maturation of inner hair cells. In connexin knock-outs, inner hair cells remained stuck at a prehearing stage of development and, as such, are unable to process sound information.
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16
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Mammano F, Bortolozzi M. Ca 2+ signaling, apoptosis and autophagy in the developing cochlea: Milestones to hearing acquisition. Cell Calcium 2017; 70:117-126. [PMID: 28578918 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2017.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, the sense of hearing arises through a complex sequence of morphogenetic events that drive the sculpting of the auditory sensory epithelium into its terminally functional three-dimensional shape. While the majority of the underlying mechanisms remain unknown, it has become increasingly clear that Ca2+ signaling is at center stage and plays numerous fundamental roles both in the sensory hair cells and in the matrix of non-sensory, epithelial and supporting cells, which embed them and are tightly interconnected by a dense network of gap junctions formed by connexin 26 (Cx26) and connexin 30 (Cx30) protein subunits. In this review, we discuss the intricate interplay between Ca2+ signaling, connexin expression and function, apoptosis and autophagy in the crucial steps that lead to hearing acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Mammano
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Foundation for Advanced Biomedical Research, 35129 Padua, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Italian National Research Council, 00015 Monterotondo, (RM), Italy.
| | - Mario Bortolozzi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy; Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Foundation for Advanced Biomedical Research, 35129 Padua, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Protein Biochemistry, Italian National Research Council, 80131 Naples (NA), Italy
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17
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Global Analysis of Protein Expression of Inner Ear Hair Cells. J Neurosci 2016; 37:1320-1339. [PMID: 28039372 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2267-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian inner ear (IE) subserves auditory and vestibular sensations via highly specialized cells and proteins. Sensory receptor hair cells (HCs) are necessary for transducing mechanical inputs and stimulating sensory neurons by using a host of known and as yet unknown protein machinery. To understand the protein composition of these unique postmitotic cells, in which irreversible protein degradation or damage can lead to impaired hearing and balance, we analyzed IE samples by tandem mass spectrometry to generate an unbiased, shotgun-proteomics view of protein identities and abundances. By using Pou4f3/eGFP-transgenic mice in which HCs express GFP driven by Pou4f3, we FACS purified a population of HCs to analyze and compare the HC proteome with other IE subproteomes from sensory epithelia and whole IE. We show that the mammalian HC proteome comprises hundreds of uniquely or highly expressed proteins. Our global proteomic analysis of purified HCs extends the existing HC transcriptome, revealing previously undetected gene products and isoform-specific protein expression. Comparison of our proteomic data with mouse and human databases of genetic auditory/vestibular impairments confirms the critical role of the HC proteome for normal IE function, providing a cell-specific pool of candidates for novel, important HC genes. Several proteins identified exclusively in HCs by proteomics and verified by immunohistochemistry map to human genetic deafness loci, potentially representing new deafness genes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Hearing and balance rely on specialized sensory hair cells (HCs) in the inner ear (IE) to convey information about sound, acceleration, and orientation to the brain. Genetically and environmentally induced perturbations to HC proteins can result in deafness and severe imbalance. We used transgenic mice with GFP-expressing HCs, coupled with FACS sorting and tandem mass spectrometry, to define the most complete HC and IE proteome to date. We show that hundreds of proteins are uniquely identified or enriched in HCs, extending previous gene expression analyses to reveal novel HC proteins and isoforms. Importantly, deafness-linked proteins were significantly enriched in HCs, suggesting that this in-depth proteomic analysis of IE sensory cells may hold potential for deafness gene discovery.
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18
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Barclay M, Constable R, James NR, Thorne PR, Montgomery JM. Reduced sensory stimulation alters the molecular make-up of glutamatergic hair cell synapses in the developing cochlea. Neuroscience 2016; 325:50-62. [PMID: 27012610 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Neural activity during early development is known to alter innervation pathways in the central and peripheral nervous systems. We sought to examine how reduced sound-induced sensory activity in the cochlea affected the consolidation of glutamatergic synapses between inner hair cells (IHC) and the primary auditory neurons as these synapses play a primary role in transmitting sound information to the brain. A unilateral conductive hearing loss was induced prior to the onset of sound-mediated stimulation of the sensory hair cells, by rupturing the tympanic membrane and dislocating the auditory ossicles in the left ear of P11 mice. Auditory brainstem responses at P15 and P21 showed a 40-50-dB increase in thresholds for frequencies 8-32kHz in the dislocated ear relative to the control ear. Immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy were subsequently used to examine the effect of this attenuation of sound stimulation on the expression of RIBEYE, which comprises the presynaptic ribbons, Shank-1, a postsynaptic scaffolding protein, and the GluA2/3 and 4 subunits of postsynaptic AMPA receptors. Our results show that dislocation did not alter the number of pre- or postsynaptic protein puncta. However, dislocation did increase the size of RIBEYE, GluA4, GluA2/3 and Shank-1 puncta, with postsynaptic changes preceding presynaptic changes. Our data suggest that a reduction in sound stimulation during auditory development induces plasticity in the molecular make-up of IHC glutamatergic synapses, but does not affect the number of these synapses. Up-regulation of synaptic proteins with sound attenuation may facilitate a compensatory increase in synaptic transmission due to the reduced sensory stimulation of the IHC.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Barclay
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - R Constable
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - N R James
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - P R Thorne
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand; Section of Audiology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - J M Montgomery
- Department of Physiology and Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
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19
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Zhou Y, Fang FH, Liu ZR, Ji YH. Dissection of voltage-gated sodium channels in developing cochlear sensory epithelia. Protein Cell 2016; 6:458-62. [PMID: 25937544 PMCID: PMC4444814 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-015-0157-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- You Zhou
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Neurotoxicology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200436, China
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20
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Horváth T, Polony G, Fekete Á, Aller M, Halmos G, Lendvai B, Heinrich A, Sperlágh B, Vizi ES, Zelles T. ATP-Evoked Intracellular Ca²⁺ Signaling of Different Supporting Cells in the Hearing Mouse Hemicochlea. Neurochem Res 2016; 41:364-75. [PMID: 26801171 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-015-1818-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2015] [Revised: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Hearing and its protection is regulated by ATP-evoked Ca(2+) signaling in the supporting cells of the organ of Corti, however, the unique anatomy of the cochlea hampers observing these mechanisms. For the first time, we have performed functional ratiometric Ca(2+) imaging (fura-2) in three different supporting cell types in the hemicochlea preparation of hearing mice to measure purinergic receptor-mediated Ca(2+) signaling in pillar, Deiters' and Hensen's cells. Their resting [Ca(2+)]i was determined and compared in the same type of preparation. ATP evoked reversible, repeatable and dose-dependent Ca(2+) transients in all three cell types, showing desensitization. Inhibiting the Ca(2+) signaling of the ionotropic P2X (omission of extracellular Ca(2+)) and metabotropic P2Y purinergic receptors (depletion of intracellular Ca(2+) stores) revealed the involvement of both receptor types. Detection of P2X2,3,4,6,7 and P2Y1,2,6,12,14 receptor mRNAs by RT-PCR supported this finding and antagonism by PPADS suggested different functional purinergic receptor population in pillar versus Deiters' and Hensen's cells. The sum of the extra- and intracellular Ca(2+)-dependent components of the response was about equal with the control ATP response (linear additivity) in pillar cells, and showed supralinearity in Deiters' and Hensen's cells. Calcium-induced calcium release might explain this synergistic interaction. The more pronounced Ca(2+) leak from the endoplasmic reticulum in Deiters' and Hensen's cells, unmasked by cyclopiazonic acid, may also suggests the higher activity of the internal stores in Ca(2+) signaling in these cells. Differences in Ca(2+) homeostasis and ATP-induced Ca(2+) signaling might reflect the distinct roles these cells play in cochlear function and pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Horváth
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, 1089, Hungary.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Hospital, Budapest, Hungary
| | - G Polony
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Á Fekete
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - M Aller
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, 1089, Hungary.,Computational Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Robotics Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - G Halmos
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - B Lendvai
- Pharmacological and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - A Heinrich
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - B Sperlágh
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - E S Vizi
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - T Zelles
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, 1089, Hungary. .,Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
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21
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Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Recording of Mouse and Rat Inner Hair Cells in the Intact Organ of Corti. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1427:471-85. [PMID: 27259943 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3615-1_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Whole-cell patch clamping is a widely applied method to record currents across the entire membrane of a cell. This protocol describes application of this method to record currents from the sensory inner hair cells in the intact auditory sensory epithelium, the organ of Corti, isolated from rats or mice. This protocol particularly outlines the basic equipment required, provides instructions for the preparation of solutions and small equipment items, and methodology for recording voltage-activated and evoked synaptic currents from the inner hair cells.
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22
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Abstract
Nonlinear physics plays an essential role in hearing. We demonstrate on a mesoscopic description level that during the evolutionary perfection of the hearing sensor, nonlinear physics led to the unique design of the cochlea observed in mammals, and that this design requests as a consequence the perception of pitch. Our insight challenges the view that mostly genetics is responsible for the uniformity of the construction of the mammalian hearing sensor. Our analysis also suggests that scaleable and non-scaleable arrangements of nonlinear sound detectors may be at the origin of the differences between hearing sensors in amniotic lineages.
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23
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Type II spiral ganglion afferent neurons drive medial olivocochlear reflex suppression of the cochlear amplifier. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7115. [PMID: 25965946 PMCID: PMC4432632 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic adjustment of hearing sensitivity and frequency selectivity is mediated by the medial olivocochlear efferent reflex, which suppresses the gain of the ‘cochlear amplifier' in each ear. Such efferent feedback is important for promoting discrimination of sounds in background noise, sound localization and protecting the cochleae from acoustic overstimulation. However, the sensory driver for the olivocochlear reflex is unknown. Here, we resolve this longstanding question using a mouse model null for the gene encoding the type III intermediate filament peripherin (Prph). Prph(−/−) mice lacked type II spiral ganglion neuron innervation of the outer hair cells, whereas innervation of the inner hair cells by type I spiral ganglion neurons was normal. Compared with Prph(+/+) controls, both contralateral and ipsilateral olivocochlear efferent-mediated suppression of the cochlear amplifier were absent in Prph(−/−) mice, demonstrating that outer hair cells and their type II afferents constitute the sensory drive for the olivocochlear efferent reflex. The medial olivocochlear efferent reflex regulates cochlear outer hair cell-based amplification of sound energy. Here the authors show this dynamic control of hearing sensitivity is driven by sensory input from the outer hair cells and their type II spiral ganglion neuron innervation.
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24
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Zhang Y, Moeini-Naghani I, Bai J, Santos-Sacchi J, Navaratnam DS. Tyrosine motifs are required for prestin basolateral membrane targeting. Biol Open 2015; 4:197-205. [PMID: 25596279 PMCID: PMC4365488 DOI: 10.1242/bio.201410629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Prestin is targeted to the lateral wall of outer hair cells (OHCs) where its electromotility is critical for cochlear amplification. Using MDCK cells as a model system for polarized epithelial sorting, we demonstrate that prestin uses tyrosine residues, in a YXXΦ motif, to target the basolateral surface. Both Y520 and Y667 are important for basolateral targeting of prestin. Mutation of these residues to glutamine or alanine resulted in retention within the Golgi and delayed egress from the Golgi in Y667Q. Basolateral targeting is restored upon mutation to phenylalanine suggesting the importance of a phenol ring in the tyrosine side chain. We also demonstrate that prestin targeting to the basolateral surface is dependent on AP1B (μ1B), and that prestin uses transferrin containing early endosomes in its passage from the Golgi to the basolateral plasma membrane. The presence of AP1B (μ1B) in OHCs, and parallels between prestin targeting to the basolateral surface of OHCs and polarized epithelial cells suggest that outer hair cells resemble polarized epithelia rather than neurons in this important phenotypic measure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - JunPing Bai
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Joseph Santos-Sacchi
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Dhasakumar S Navaratnam
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA Department of Neurobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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25
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Purinergic neuron-glia interactions in sensory systems. Pflugers Arch 2014; 466:1859-72. [DOI: 10.1007/s00424-014-1510-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Revised: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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26
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Regenerated synapses between postnatal hair cells and auditory neurons. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2013; 14:321-9. [PMID: 23423560 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-013-0374-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2012] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Regeneration of synaptic connections between hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons would be required to restore hearing after neural loss. Here we demonstrate by immunohistochemistry the appearance of afferent-like cochlear synapses in vitro after co-culture of de-afferented organ of Corti with spiral ganglion neurons from newborn mice. The glutamatergic synaptic complexes at the ribbon synapse of the inner hair cell contain markers for presynaptic ribbons and postsynaptic densities. We found postsynaptic density protein PSD-95 at the contacts between hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons in newly formed synapses in vitro. The postsynaptic proteins were directly facing the CtBP2-positive presynaptic ribbons of the hair cells. BDNF and NT-3 promoted afferent synaptogenesis in vitro. Direct juxtaposition of the postsynaptic densities with the components of the preexisting ribbon synapse indicated that growing fibers recognized components of the presynaptic sites. Initiation of cochlear synaptogenesis appeared to be influenced by glutamate release from the hair cell ribbons at the presynaptic site since the synaptic regeneration was impaired in glutamate vesicular transporter 3 mutant mice. These insights into cochlear synaptogenesis could be relevant to regenerative approaches for neural loss in the cochlea.
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27
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Molina L, Fasquelle L, Nouvian R, Salvetat N, Scott HS, Guipponi M, Molina F, Puel JL, Delprat B. Tmprss3 loss of function impairs cochlear inner hair cell Kcnma1 channel membrane expression. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 22:1289-99. [PMID: 23255163 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Before acquiring their mature state, cochlear hair cells undergo a series of changes in expression of ion channels. How this complex mechanism is achieved is not fully understood. Tmprss3, a type II serine protease expressed in hair cells, is required for their proper functioning at the onset of hearing. To unravel the role of Tmprss3 in the acquisition of mature K(+) currents, we compared their function by patch-clamp technique in wild-type Tmprss3(WT) and Tmprss3(Y260X)-mutant mice. Interestingly, only outward K(+) currents were altered in Tmprss3(Y260X)-mutant mice. To determine by which mechanism this occurred, we compared the protein network of Tmprss3(WT) and Tmprss3(Y260X)-mutant mice using proteomic analysis. This led to the identification of a pathway related to potassium Kcnma1 channels. This pathway was validated by immunohistochemistry, focusing on the most downregulated protein that was identified as a cochlear Kcnma1-associated protein, APOA1. Finally, we show that, in contrast to Tmprss3(WT), Kcnma1 channels were absent at the neck of inner hair cells (IHCs) in Tmprss3(Y260X)-mutant mice. In conclusion, our data suggest that lack of Tmprss3 leads to a decrease in Kcnma1 potassium channels expression in (IHCs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Molina
- SysDiag UMR 3145 CNRS/Bio-Rad, Cap Delta/Parc Euromédecine, 1682 rue de la Valsière, Cedex 4,Montpellier, France
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Functional features of trans-differentiated hair cells mediated by Atoh1 reveals a primordial mechanism. J Neurosci 2012; 32:3712-25. [PMID: 22423092 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.6093-11.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution has transformed a simple ear with few vestibular maculae into a complex three-dimensional structure consisting of nine distinct endorgans. It is debatable whether the sensory epithelia underwent progressive segregation or emerged from distinct sensory patches. To address these uncertainties we examined the morphological and functional phenotype of trans-differentiated rat hair cells to reveal their primitive or endorgan-specific origins. Additionally, it is uncertain how Atoh1-mediated trans-differentiated hair cells trigger the processes that establish their neural ranking from the vestibulocochlear ganglia. We have demonstrated that the morphology and functional expression of ionic currents in trans-differentiated hair cells resemble those of "ancestral" hair cells, even at the lesser epithelia ridge aspects of the cochlea. The structures of stereociliary bundles of trans-differentiated hair cells were in keeping with cells in the vestibule. Functionally, the transient expression of Na⁺ and I(h) currents initiates and promotes evoked spikes. Additionally, Ca²⁺ current was expressed and underwent developmental changes. These events correlate well with the innervation of ectopic hair cells. New "born" hair cells at the abneural aspects of the cochlea are innervated by spiral ganglion neurons, presumably under the tropic influence of chemoattractants. The disappearance of inward currents coincides well with the attenuation of evoked electrical activity, remarkably recapitulating the development of hair cells. Ectopic hair cells underwent stepwise changes in the magnitude and kinetics of transducer currents. We propose that Atoh1 mediates trans-differentiation of morphological and functional "ancestral" hair cells that are likely to undergo diversification in an endorgan-specific manner.
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Basappa J, Graham CE, Turcan S, Vetter DE. The cochlea as an independent neuroendocrine organ: expression and possible roles of a local hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis-equivalent signaling system. Hear Res 2012; 288:3-18. [PMID: 22484018 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2012.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2011] [Revised: 03/19/2012] [Accepted: 03/20/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A key property possessed by the mammalian cochlea is its ability to dynamically alter its own sensitivity. Because hair cells and ganglion cells are prone to damage following exposure to loud sound, extant mechanisms limiting cochlear damage include modulation involving both the mechanical (via outer hair cell motility) and neural signaling (via inner hair cell-ganglion cell synapses) steps of peripheral auditory processing. Feedback systems such as that embodied by the olivocochlear system can alter sensitivity, but respond only after stimulus encoding, allowing potentially damaging sounds to impact the inner ear before sensitivity is adjusted. Less well characterized are potential cellular signaling systems involved in protection against metabolic stress and resultant damage. Although pharmacological manipulation of the olivocochlear system may hold some promise for attenuating cochlear damage, targeting this system may still allow damage to occur that does not depend on a fully functional feedback loop for its mitigation. Thus, understanding endogenous cell signaling systems involved in cochlear protection may lead to new strategies and therapies for prevention of cochlear damage and consequent hearing loss. We have recently discovered a novel cochlear signaling system that is molecularly equivalent to the classic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This cochlear HPA-equivalent system functions to balance auditory sensitivity and susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss, and also protects against cellular metabolic insults resulting from exposures to ototoxic drugs. This system may represent a local cellular response system designed to mitigate damage arising from various types of insult.
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Levic S, Lv P, Yamoah EN. The activity of spontaneous action potentials in developing hair cells is regulated by Ca(2+)-dependence of a transient K+ current. PLoS One 2011; 6:e29005. [PMID: 22216155 PMCID: PMC3245258 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2011] [Accepted: 11/18/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous action potentials have been described in developing sensory systems. These rhythmic activities may have instructional roles for the functional development of synaptic connections. The importance of spontaneous action potentials in the developing auditory system is underpinned by the stark correlation between the time of auditory system functional maturity, and the cessation of spontaneous action potentials. A prominent K(+) current that regulates patterning of action potentials is I(A). This current undergoes marked changes in expression during chicken hair cell development. Although the properties of I(A) are not normally classified as Ca(2+)-dependent, we demonstrate that throughout the development of chicken hair cells, I(A) is greatly reduced by acute alterations of intracellular Ca(2+). As determinants of spike timing and firing frequency, intracellular Ca(2+) buffers shift the activation and inactivation properties of the current to more positive potentials. Our findings provide evidence to demonstrate that the kinetics and functional expression of I(A) are tightly regulated by intracellular Ca(2+). Such feedback mechanism between the functional expression of I(A) and intracellular Ca(2+) may shape the activity of spontaneous action potentials, thus potentially sculpting synaptic connections in an activity-dependent manner in the developing cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snezana Levic
- Program in Communication Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Ping Lv
- Program in Communication Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ebenezer N. Yamoah
- Program in Communication Science, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California
- * E-mail:
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31
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Abstract
Hair cells in the mammalian inner ear convert sound into electrical signals that are relayed to the nervous system by the chemical neurotransmitter glutamate. Electrical information encoding sound is then passed through the central nervous system to the higher auditory centres in the brain, where it is used to construct a temporally and spatially accurate representation of the auditory landscape. To achieve this, hair cells must encode fundamental properties of sound stimuli at extremely high rates, not only during mechano-electrical transduction, which occurs in the hair bundles at the cell apex, but also during electrochemical transduction at the specialized ribbon synapses at the cell base. How is the development of such a sophisticated cell regulated? More specifically, to what extent does physiological activity contribute to the progression of the intrinsic genetic programmes that drive cell differentiation? Hair cell differentiation takes about 3 weeks in most rodents, from terminal mitosis during embryonic development to the onset of hearing around 2 weeks after birth. Until recent years, most of the molecules involved in hair cell development and function were unknown, which was mainly due to difficulties in working with the mammalian cochlea and the very small number of hair cells, about 16,000 in humans, present in the auditory organ. Recent advances in the ability to record from the acutely isolated cochlea maintained in near-physiological conditions, combined with the use of genetically modified mouse models, has allowed the identification of several proteins and molecular mechanisms that are crucial for the maturation and function of hair cells. In this article, I highlight recent findings from my laboratory that have furthered our understanding of how developing hair cells acquire the remarkable sensitivity of adult auditory sensory receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Marcotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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32
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Patuzzi R. Ion flow in cochlear hair cells and the regulation of hearing sensitivity. Hear Res 2011; 280:3-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2011.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2010] [Revised: 03/28/2011] [Accepted: 04/11/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Li X, Surguchev A, Bian S, Navaratnam D, Santos-Sacchi J. Extracellular chloride regulation of Kv2.1, contributor to the major outward Kv current in mammalian outer hair cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2011; 302:C296-306. [PMID: 21940671 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00177.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Outer hair cells (OHC) function as both receptors and effectors in providing a boost to auditory reception. Amplification is driven by the motor protein prestin, which is under anionic control. Interestingly, we now find that the major, 4-AP-sensitive, outward K(+) current of the OHC (I(K)) is also sensitive to Cl(-), although, in contrast to prestin, extracellularly. I(K) is inhibited by reducing extracellular Cl(-) levels, with a linear dependence of 0.4%/mM. Other voltage-dependent K(+) (Kv) channel conductances in supporting cells, such as Hensen and Deiters' cells, are not affected by reduced extracellular Cl(-). To elucidate the molecular basis of this Cl(-)-sensitive I(K), we looked at potential molecular candidates based on Cl(-) sensitivity and/or similarities in kinetics. For I(K), we identified three different Ca(2+)-independent components of I(K) based on the time constant of inactivation: a fast, transient outward current, a rapidly activating, slowly inactivating current (Ik(1)), and a slowly inactivating current (Ik(2)). Extracellular Cl(-) differentially affects these components. Because the inactivation time constants of Ik(1) and Ik(2) are similar to those of Kv1.5 and Kv2.1, we transiently transfected these constructs into CHO cells and found that low extracellular Cl(-) inhibited both channels with linear current reductions of 0.38%/mM and 0.49%/mM, respectively. We also tested heterologously expressed Slick and Slack conductances, two intracellularly Cl(-)-sensitive K(+) channels, but found no extracellular Cl(-) sensitivity. The Cl(-) sensitivity of Kv2.1 and its robust expression within OHCs verified by single-cell RT-PCR indicate that these channels underlie the OHC's extracellular Cl(-) sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiantao Li
- Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), YaleUniversity School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
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34
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Graham CE, Basappa J, Turcan S, Vetter DE. The cochlear CRF signaling systems and their mechanisms of action in modulating cochlear sensitivity and protection against trauma. Mol Neurobiol 2011; 44:383-406. [PMID: 21909974 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-011-8203-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2011] [Accepted: 08/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A key requirement for encoding the auditory environment is the ability to dynamically alter cochlear sensitivity. However, merely attaining a steady state of maximal sensitivity is not a viable solution since the sensory cells and ganglion cells of the cochlea are prone to damage following exposure to loud sound. Most often, such damage is via initial metabolic insult that can lead to cellular death. Thus, establishing the highest sensitivity must be balanced with protection against cellular metabolic damage that can lead to loss of hair cells and ganglion cells, resulting in loss of frequency representation. While feedback mechanisms are known to exist in the cochlea that alter sensitivity, they respond only after stimulus encoding, allowing potentially damaging sounds to impact the inner ear at times coincident with increased sensitivity. Thus, questions remain concerning the endogenous signaling systems involved in dynamic modulation of cochlear sensitivity and protection against metabolic stress. Understanding endogenous signaling systems involved in cochlear protection may lead to new strategies and therapies for prevention of cochlear damage and consequent hearing loss. We have recently discovered a novel cochlear signaling system that is molecularly equivalent to the classic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This cochlear HPA-equivalent system functions to balance auditory sensitivity and susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss, and also protects against cellular metabolic insults resulting from exposures to ototoxic drugs. We review the anatomy, physiology, and cellular signaling of this system, and compare it to similar signaling in other organs/tissues of the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E Graham
- Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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35
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Lenz DR, Avraham KB. Hereditary hearing loss: from human mutation to mechanism. Hear Res 2011; 281:3-10. [PMID: 21664957 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2011.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2011] [Revised: 05/26/2011] [Accepted: 05/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The genetic heterogeneity of hereditary hearing loss is thus far represented by hundreds of genes encoding a large variety of proteins. Mutations in these genes have been discovered for patients with different modes of inheritance and types of hearing loss, ranging from syndromic to non-syndromic and mild to profound. In many cases, the mechanisms whereby the mutations lead to hearing loss have been partly elucidated using cell culture systems and mouse and other animal models. The discovery of the genes has completely changed the practice of genetic counseling in this area, providing potential diagnosis in many cases that can be coupled with clinical phenotypes and offer predictive information for families. In this review we provide three examples of gene discovery in families with hereditary hearing loss, all associated with elucidation of some of the mechanisms leading to hair cell degeneration and pathology of deafness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle R Lenz
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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36
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Position-dependent patterning of spontaneous action potentials in immature cochlear inner hair cells. Nat Neurosci 2011; 14:711-7. [PMID: 21572434 PMCID: PMC3103712 DOI: 10.1038/nn.2803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2011] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous action potential activity is crucial for mammalian sensory system development. In the auditory system, patterned firing activity has been observed in immature spiral ganglion cells and brain-stem neurons and is likely to depend on cochlear inner hair cell (IHC) action potentials. It remains uncertain whether spiking activity is intrinsic to developing IHCs and whether it shows patterning. We found that action potentials are intrinsically generated by immature IHCs of altricial rodents and that apical IHCs exhibit bursting activity as opposed to more sustained firing in basal cells. We show that the efferent neurotransmitter ACh, by fine-tuning the IHC’s resting membrane potential (Vm), is crucial for the bursting pattern in apical cells. Endogenous extracellular ATP also contributes to the Vm of apical and basal IHCs by activating SK2 channels. We hypothesize that the difference in firing pattern along the cochlea instructs the tonotopic differentiation of IHCs and auditory pathway.
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37
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Abstract
Ca(2+) acts as a fundamental signal transduction element in inner ear, delivering information about sound, acceleration and gravity through a small number of mechanotransduction channels in the hair cell stereocilia and voltage activated Ca(2+) channels at the ribbon synapse, where it drives neurotransmission. The mechanotransduction process relies on the endocochlear potential, an electrical potential difference between endolymph and perilymph, the two fluids bathing respectively the apical and basolateral membrane of the cells in the organ of Corti. In mouse models, deafness and lack or reduction of the endocochlear potential correlate with ablation of connexin (Cx) 26 or 30. These Cxs form heteromeric channels assembled in a network of gap junction plaques connecting the supporting and epithelial cells of the organ of Corti presumably for K(+) recycle and transfer of key metabolites, for example, the Ca(2+) -mobilizing second messenger IP(3) . Ca(2+) signaling in these cells could play a crucial role in regulating Cx expression and function. Another district where Ca(2+) signaling alterations link to hearing loss is hair cell apex, where ablation or missense mutations of the PMCA2 Ca(2+) -pump of the stereocilia cause deafness and loss of balance. If less Ca(2+) is exported from the stereocilia, as in the PMCA2 mouse mutants, Ca(2+) concentration in endolymph is expected to fall causing an alteration of the mechanotransduction process. This may provide a clue as to why, in some cases, PMCA2 mutations potentiated the deafness phenotype induced by coexisting mutations of cadherin-23 (Usher syndrome type 1D), a single pass membrane Ca(2+) binding protein that is abundantly expressed in the stereocilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Mammano
- Department of Physics "G. Galilei," University of Padova, Italy.
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38
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Zampini V, Rüttiger L, Johnson SL, Franz C, Furness DN, Waldhaus J, Xiong H, Hackney CM, Holley MC, Offenhauser N, Di Fiore PP, Knipper M, Masetto S, Marcotti W. Eps8 regulates hair bundle length and functional maturation of mammalian auditory hair cells. PLoS Biol 2011; 9:e1001048. [PMID: 21526224 PMCID: PMC3079587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2010] [Accepted: 03/09/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair cells of the mammalian cochlea are specialized for the dynamic coding of sound stimuli. The transduction of sound waves into electrical signals depends upon mechanosensitive hair bundles that project from the cell's apical surface. Each stereocilium within a hair bundle is composed of uniformly polarized and tightly packed actin filaments. Several stereociliary proteins have been shown to be associated with hair bundle development and function and are known to cause deafness in mice and humans when mutated. The growth of the stereociliar actin core is dynamically regulated at the actin filament barbed ends in the stereociliary tip. We show that Eps8, a protein with actin binding, bundling, and barbed-end capping activities in other systems, is a novel component of the hair bundle. Eps8 is localized predominantly at the tip of the stereocilia and is essential for their normal elongation and function. Moreover, we have found that Eps8 knockout mice are profoundly deaf and that IHCs, but not OHCs, fail to mature into fully functional sensory receptors. We propose that Eps8 directly regulates stereocilia growth in hair cells and also plays a crucial role in the physiological maturation of mammalian cochlear IHCs. Together, our results indicate that Eps8 is critical in coordinating the development and functionality of mammalian auditory hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Zampini
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Department of Otolaryngology, THR, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stuart L. Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Christoph Franz
- Department of Otolaryngology, THR, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - David N. Furness
- Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Keele, United Kingdom
| | - Jörg Waldhaus
- Department of Otolaryngology, THR, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hao Xiong
- Department of Otolaryngology, THR, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Carole M. Hackney
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew C. Holley
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Nina Offenhauser
- IFOM, Fondazione Istituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare, Milan, Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Di Fiore
- IFOM, Fondazione Istituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare, Milan, Italy
- Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, Milan, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina, Chirurgia e Odontoiatria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marlies Knipper
- Department of Otolaryngology, THR, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sergio Masetto
- Department of Physiology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- * E-mail: (WM); (SM)
| | - Walter Marcotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (WM); (SM)
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39
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Burnstock G, Ulrich H. Purinergic signaling in embryonic and stem cell development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2011; 68:1369-94. [PMID: 21222015 PMCID: PMC11114541 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-010-0614-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2010] [Revised: 12/07/2010] [Accepted: 12/10/2010] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Nucleotides are of crucial importance as carriers of energy in all organisms. However, the concept that in addition to their intracellular roles, nucleotides act as extracellular ligands specifically on receptors of the plasma membrane took longer to be accepted. Purinergic signaling exerted by purines and pyrimidines, principally ATP and adenosine, occurs throughout embryologic development in a wide variety of organisms, including amphibians, birds, and mammals. Cellular signaling, mediated by ATP, is present in development at very early stages, e.g., gastrulation of Xenopus and germ layer definition of chick embryo cells. Purinergic receptor expression and functions have been studied in the development of many organs, including the heart, eye, skeletal muscle and the nervous system. In vitro studies with stem cells revealed that purinergic receptors are involved in the processes of proliferation, differentiation, and phenotype determination of differentiated cells. Thus, nucleotides are able to induce various intracellular signaling pathways via crosstalk with other bioactive molecules acting on growth factor and neurotransmitter receptors. Since normal development is disturbed by dysfunction of purinergic signaling in animal models, further studies are needed to elucidate the functions of purinoceptor subtypes in developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Burnstock
- Autonomic Neuroscience Centre, University College Medical School, Royal Free Campus, Rowland Hill Street, London, UK.
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40
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Vlajkovic SM, Guo CX, Dharmawardana N, Wong ACY, Boison D, Housley GD, Thorne PR. Role of adenosine kinase in cochlear development and response to noise. J Neurosci Res 2011; 88:2598-609. [PMID: 20648650 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.22421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Adenosine signalling has an important role in cochlear protection from oxidative stress. In most tissues, intracellular adenosine kinase (ADK) is the primary route of adenosine metabolism and the key regulator of intracellular and extracellular adenosine levels. The present study provides the first evidence for ADK distribution in the adult and developing rat cochlea. In the adult cochlea, ADK was localized to the nuclear or perinuclear region of spiral ganglion neurons, lateral wall tissues, and epithelial cells lining scala media. In the developing cochlea, ADK was strongly expressed in multiple cell types at birth and reached its peak level of expression at postnatal day 21 (P21). Ontogenetic changes in ADK expression were evident in the spiral ganglion, organ of Corti, and stria vascularis. In the spiral ganglion, ADK showed a shift from predominantly satellite cell immunolabelling at P1 to neuronal expression from P14 onward. In contrast to the role of ADK in various aspects of cochlear development, the ADK contribution to the cochlear response to noise stress was less obvious. Transcript and protein levels of ADK were unaltered in the cochlea exposed to broadband noise (90-110 dBSPL, 24 hr), and the selective inhibition of ADK in the cochlea with ABT-702 failed to restore hearing thresholds after exposure to traumatic noise. This study indicates that ADK is involved in purine salvage pathways for nucleotide synthesis in the adult cochlea, but its role in the regulation of adenosine signalling under physiological and pathological conditions has yet to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srdjan M Vlajkovic
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Aukland, New Zealand.
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41
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Wu T, Song L, Shi X, Jiang Z, Santos-Sacchi J, Nuttall AL. Effect of capsaicin on potassium conductance and electromotility of the guinea pig outer hair cell. Hear Res 2011; 272:117-24. [PMID: 21044673 PMCID: PMC3387680 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2010.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2010] [Revised: 10/21/2010] [Accepted: 10/21/2010] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Capsaicin, the classic activator of TRPV-1 channels in primary sensory neurons, evokes nociception. Interestingly, auditory reception is also modulated by this chemical, possibly by direct actions on outer hair cells (OHCs). Surprisingly, we find two novel actions of capsaicin unrelated to TRPV-1 channels, which likely contribute to its auditory effects in vivo. First, capsaicin is a potent blocker of OHC K conductances (I(K) and I(K,n)). Second, capsaicin substantially alters OHC nonlinear capacitance, the signature of electromotility - a basis of cochlear amplification. These new findings of capsaicin have ramifications for our understanding of the pharmacological properties of OHC I(K), I(K,n) and electromotility and for interpretation of capsaicin pharmacological actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Wu
- Oregon Hearing Research Centre, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Sciences University, 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States
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42
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miR-96 regulates the progression of differentiation in mammalian cochlear inner and outer hair cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:2355-60. [PMID: 21245307 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1016646108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs able to regulate a broad range of protein-coding genes involved in many biological processes. miR-96 is a sensory organ-specific miRNA expressed in the mammalian cochlea during development. Mutations in miR-96 cause nonsyndromic progressive hearing loss in humans and mice. The mouse mutant diminuendo has a single base change in the seed region of the Mir96 gene leading to widespread changes in the expression of many genes. We have used this mutant to explore the role of miR-96 in the maturation of the auditory organ. We found that the physiological development of mutant sensory hair cells is arrested at around the day of birth, before their biophysical differentiation into inner and outer hair cells. Moreover, maturation of the hair cell stereocilia bundle and remodelling of auditory nerve connections within the cochlea fail to occur in miR-96 mutants. We conclude that miR-96 regulates the progression of the physiological and morphological differentiation of cochlear hair cells and, as such, coordinates one of the most distinctive functional refinements of the mammalian auditory system.
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43
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Bai JP, Surguchev A, Navaratnam D. β4-subunit increases Slo responsiveness to physiological Ca2+ concentrations and together with β1 reduces surface expression of Slo in hair cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2010; 300:C435-46. [PMID: 21178105 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00449.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Changing kinetics of large-conductance potassium (BK) channels in hair cells of nonmammalian vertebrates, including the chick, plays a critical role in electrical tuning, a mechanism used by these cells to discriminate between different frequencies of sound. BK currents are less abundant in low-frequency hair cells and show large openings in response to a rise in intracellular Ca(2+) at a hair cell's operating voltage range (spanning -40 to -60 mV). Although the molecular underpinnings of its function in hair cells are poorly understood, it is established that BK channels consist of a pore-forming α-subunit (Slo) and a number of accessory subunits. Currents from the α (Slo)-subunit alone do not show dramatic increases in response to changes in Ca(2+) concentrations at -50 mV. We have cloned the chick β(4)- and β(1)-subunits and show that these subunits are preferentially expressed in low-frequency hair cells, where they decrease Slo surface expression. The β(4)-subunit in particular is responsible for the BK channel's increased responsiveness to Ca(2+) at a hair cell's operating voltage. In contrast, however, the increases in relaxation times induced by both β-subunits suggest additional mechanisms responsible for BK channel function in hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Ping Bai
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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44
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Kim JM, Beyer R, Morales M, Chen S, Liu LQ, Duncan RK. Expression of BK-type calcium-activated potassium channel splice variants during chick cochlear development. J Comp Neurol 2010; 518:2554-69. [PMID: 20503427 DOI: 10.1002/cne.22352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The appearance of large-conductance, calcium-activated potassium (BK) current is a hallmark of functional maturation in auditory hair cells. Acquisition of this fast-activating current enables high-frequency, graded receptor potentials in all vertebrates and an electrical tuning mechanism in nonmammals. The gene encoding BK alpha subunits is highly alternatively spliced, and the resulting variations in channel isoforms may contribute to functional diversity at the onset of hearing. We examined the tissue specificity of nine BK alpha alternative exons and investigated changes in expression during chick cochlear development using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Each alternative was widely expressed in several tissues except for an insert near the C-terminus Ca(2+) sensing domain, which appeared brain-specific. The only alternative form in the membrane-bound core of the channel was expressed in brain and muscle but was undetected in cochlea. Of the remaining variants, three increased in expression prior to the onset of hearing and acquisition of BK currents. These three variants cause decreased Ca(2+) sensitivity or increased intracellular retention, traits that would not easily explain the advent of calcium-sensitive currents at embryonic day (E)18-19. Expression levels of other variants were mature and stable by E15, days before currents were acquired. Surface expression of C-terminal isoforms was examined using patch-clamp electrophysiology and immunocytochemistry. C-terminal variants that exhibit robust surface expression appeared in the membrane at E18, even though transcripts were unchanged during development starting from E12. These results indicate that delays in protein synthesis and trafficking/scaffolding of channel subunits underlie the late acquisition of BK currents in cochlear hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Min Kim
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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Vlajkovic SM, Housley GD, Thorne PR. Adenosine and the auditory system. Curr Neuropharmacol 2010; 7:246-56. [PMID: 20190966 PMCID: PMC2769008 DOI: 10.2174/157015909789152155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2009] [Revised: 03/03/2009] [Accepted: 03/20/2009] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine is a signalling molecule that modulates cellular activity in the central nervous system and peripheral organs via four G protein-coupled receptors designated A1, A2A, A2B, and A3. This review surveys the literature on the role of adenosine in auditory function, particularly cochlear function and its protection from oxidative stress. The specific tissue distribution of adenosine receptors in the mammalian cochlea implicates adenosine signalling in sensory transduction and auditory neurotransmission although functional studies have demonstrated that adenosine stimulates cochlear blood flow, but does not alter the resting and sound-evoked auditory potentials. An interest in a potential otoprotective role for adenosine has recently evolved, fuelled by the capacity of A1 adenosine receptors to prevent cochlear injury caused by acoustic trauma and ototoxic drugs. The balance between A1 and A2A receptors is conceived as critical for cochlear response to oxidative stress, which is an underlying mechanism of the most common inner ear pathologies (e.g. noise-induced and age-related hearing loss, drug ototoxicity). Enzymes involved in adenosine metabolism, adenosine kinase and adenosine deaminase, are also emerging as attractive targets for controlling oxidative stress in the cochlea. Other possible targets include ectonucleotidases that generate adenosine from extracellular ATP, and nucleoside transporters, which regulate adenosine concentrations on both sides of the plasma membrane. Developments of selective adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists that can cross the blood-cochlea barrier are bolstering efforts to develop therapeutic interventions aimed at ameliorating cochlear injury. Manipulations of the adenosine signalling system thus hold significant promise in the therapeutic management of oxidative stress in the cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srdjan M Vlajkovic
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
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Differential expression of P2Y receptors in the rat cochlea during development. Purinergic Signal 2010; 6:231-48. [PMID: 20806015 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-010-9191-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2009] [Accepted: 05/26/2010] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Purinergic signaling has broad physiological significance to the hearing organ, involving signal transduction via ionotropic P2X receptors and metabotropic G-protein-coupled P2Y and P1 (adenosine), alongside conversion of nucleotides and nucleosides by ecto-nucleotidases and ecto-nucleoside diphosphokinase. In addition, ATP release is modulated by acoustic overstimulation or stress and involves feedback regulation. Many of these principal elements of the purinergic signaling complex have been well characterized in the cochlea, while the characterization of P2Y receptor expression is emerging. The present study used immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of five P2Y receptors, P2Y(1), P2Y(2), P2Y(4), P2Y(6), and P2Y(12), during development of the rat cochlea. Commencing in the late embryonic period, the P2Y receptors studied were found in the cells lining the cochlear partition, associated with establishment of the electrochemical environment which provides the driving force for sound transduction. In addition, early postnatal P2Y(2) and P2Y(4) protein expression in the greater epithelial ridge, part of the developing hearing organ, supports the view that initiation and regulation of spontaneous activity in the hair cells prior to hearing onset is mediated by purinergic signaling. Sub-cellular compartmentalization of P2Y receptor expression in sensory hair cells, and diversity of receptor expression in the spiral ganglion neurons and their satellite cells, indicates roles for P2Y receptor-mediated Ca(2+)-signaling in sound transduction and auditory neuron excitability. Overall, the dynamics of P2Y receptor expression during development of the cochlea complement the other elements of the purinergic signaling complex and reinforce the significance of extracellular nucleotide and nucleoside signaling to hearing.
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Tritsch NX, Zhang YX, Ellis-Davies G, Bergles DE. ATP-induced morphological changes in supporting cells of the developing cochlea. Purinergic Signal 2010; 6:155-66. [PMID: 20806009 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-010-9189-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2009] [Accepted: 05/23/2010] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The developing cochlea of mammals contains a large group of columnar-shaped cells, which together form a structure known as Kölliker's organ. Prior to the onset of hearing, these inner supporting cells periodically release adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), which activates purinergic receptors in surrounding supporting cells, inner hair cells and the dendrites of primary auditory neurons. Recent studies indicate that purinergic signaling between inner supporting cells and inner hair cells initiates bursts of action potentials in auditory nerve fibers before the onset of hearing. ATP also induces prominent effects in inner supporting cells, including an increase in membrane conductance, a rise in intracellular Ca(2+), and dramatic changes in cell shape, although the importance of ATP signaling in non-sensory cells of the developing cochlea remains unknown. Here, we review current knowledge pertaining to purinergic signaling in supporting cells of Kölliker's organ and focus on the mechanisms by which ATP induces changes in their morphology. We show that these changes in cell shape are preceded by increases in cytoplasmic Ca(2+), and provide new evidence indicating that elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) and IP(3) are sufficient to initiate shape changes. In addition, we discuss the possibility that these ATP-mediated morphological changes reflect crenation following the activation of Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channels, and speculate about the possible functions of these changes in cell morphology for maturation of the cochlea.
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Majumder P, Crispino G, Rodriguez L, Ciubotaru CD, Anselmi F, Piazza V, Bortolozzi M, Mammano F. ATP-mediated cell-cell signaling in the organ of Corti: the role of connexin channels. Purinergic Signal 2010; 6:167-87. [PMID: 20806010 PMCID: PMC2912995 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-010-9192-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2009] [Accepted: 05/31/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Connexin 26 (Cx26) and connexin 30 (Cx30) form hemichannels that release ATP from the endolymphatic surface of cochlear supporting and epithelial cells and also form gap junction (GJ) channels that allow the concomitant intercellular diffusion of Ca(2+) mobilizing second messengers. Released ATP in turn activates G-protein coupled P2Y(2) and P2Y(4) receptors, PLC-dependent generation of IP(3), release of Ca(2+) from intracellular stores, instigating the regenerative propagation of intercellular Ca(2+) signals (ICS). The range of ICS propagation is sensitive to the concentration of extracellular divalent cations and activity of ectonucleotidases. Here, the expression patterns of Cx26 and Cx30 were characterized in postnatal cochlear tissues obtained from mice aged between P5 and P6. The expression gradient along the longitudinal axis of the cochlea, decreasing from the basal to the apical cochlear turn (CT), was more pronounced in outer sulcus (OS) cells than in inner sulcus (IS) cells. GJ-mediated dye coupling was maximal in OS cells of the basal CT, inhibited by the nonselective connexin channel blocker carbenoxolone (CBX) and absent in hair cells. Photostimulating OS cells with caged inositol (3,4,5) tri-phosphate (IP(3)) resulted in transfer of ICS in the lateral direction, from OS cells to IS cells across the hair cell region (HCR) of medial and basal CTs. ICS transfer in the opposite (medial) direction, from IS cells photostimulated with caged IP(3) to OS cells, occurred mostly in the basal CT. In addition, OS cells displayed impressive rhythmic activity with oscillations of cytosolic free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) coordinated by the propagation of Ca(2+) wavefronts sweeping repeatedly through the same tissue area along the coiling axis of the cochlea. Oscillations evoked by uncaging IP(3) or by applying ATP differed greatly, by as much as one order of magnitude, in frequency and waveform rise time. ICS evoked by direct application of ATP propagated along convoluted cellular paths in the OS, which often branched and changed dynamically over time. Potential implications of these findings are discussed in the context of developmental regulation and cochlear pathophysiology. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11302-010-9192-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paromita Majumder
- Istituto Veneto di Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata, via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Crispino
- Istituto Veneto di Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata, via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Laura Rodriguez
- Istituto Veneto di Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata, via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Catalin Dacian Ciubotaru
- Istituto Veneto di Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata, via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Fabio Anselmi
- Istituto Veneto di Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata, via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Valeria Piazza
- Istituto Veneto di Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata, via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
| | - Mario Bortolozzi
- Dipartimento di Fisica “G. Galilei”, Università di Padova, via Marzolo 8, 35129 Padova, Italy
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, CNR, Padova, Italy
| | - Fabio Mammano
- Istituto Veneto di Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata, via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica “G. Galilei”, Università di Padova, via Marzolo 8, 35129 Padova, Italy
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, CNR, Padova, Italy
- Centro Interdipartimentale per lo Studio dei Segnali Cellulari, Università di Padova, via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
- VIMM, Via G. Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
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Lv P, Rodriguez-Contreras A, Kim HJ, Zhu J, Wei D, Choong-Ryoul S, Eastwood E, Mu K, Levic S, Song H, Yevgeniy PY, Smith PJS, Yamoah EN. Release and elementary mechanisms of nitric oxide in hair cells. J Neurophysiol 2010; 103:2494-505. [PMID: 20220083 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00017.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The enzyme nitric oxide (NO) synthase, that produces the signaling molecule NO, has been identified in several cell types in the inner ear. However, it is unclear whether a measurable quantity of NO is released in the inner ear to confer specific functions. Indeed, the functional significance of NO and the elementary cellular mechanism thereof are most uncertain. Here, we demonstrate that the sensory epithelia of the frog saccule release NO and explore its release mechanisms by using self-referencing NO-selective electrodes. Additionally, we investigated the functional effects of NO on electrical properties of hair cells and determined their underlying cellular mechanism. We show detectable amounts of NO are released by hair cells (>50 nM). Furthermore, a hair-cell efferent modulator acetylcholine produces at least a threefold increase in NO release. NO not only attenuated the baseline membrane oscillations but it also increased the magnitude of current required to generate the characteristic membrane potential oscillations. This resulted in a rightward shift in the frequency-current relationship and altered the excitability of hair cells. Our data suggest that these effects ensue because NO reduces whole cell Ca(2+) current and drastically decreases the open probability of single-channel events of the L-type and non L-type Ca(2+) channels in hair cells, an effect that is mediated through direct nitrosylation of the channel and activation of protein kinase G. Finally, NO increases the magnitude of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) currents via direct NO nitrosylation. We conclude that NO-mediated inhibition serves as a component of efferent nerve modulation of hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Lv
- Center for Neuroscience, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Program in Communication Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Graham CE, Basappa J, Vetter DE. A corticotropin-releasing factor system expressed in the cochlea modulates hearing sensitivity and protects against noise-induced hearing loss. Neurobiol Dis 2010; 38:246-58. [PMID: 20109547 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2010.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2009] [Revised: 01/03/2010] [Accepted: 01/17/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Noise-induced hearing loss is a highly prevalent occupational injury, yet little is known concerning the signals controlling normal cochlear sensitivity and susceptibility to noise-induced trauma. While the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system is involved in activation of the classic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, it is also involved in local physiological responses to stress in many tissues, and is expressed in the inner ear. We demonstrate that mice lacking the CRF receptor CRFR2 exhibit a significantly lower auditory threshold than wild type mice, but this gain of function comes at the price of increased susceptibility to acoustic trauma. We further demonstrate that glutamatergic transmission, purinergic signaling, and activation of Akt (PKB) pathways within the cochlea are misregulated, which may underlie the enhanced sensitivity and trauma susceptibility observed in CRFR2(-/-) mice. Our data suggest that CRFR2 constitutively modulates hearing sensitivity under normal conditions, and thereby provides protection against noise-induced hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine E Graham
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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