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Ramzan M, Zafeer MF, Abad C, Guo S, Owrang D, Alper O, Mutlu A, Atik T, Duman D, Bademci G, Vona B, Kalcioglu MT, Walz K, Tekin M. Genetic heterogeneity in hereditary hearing loss: Potential role of kinociliary protein TOGARAM2. Eur J Hum Genet 2024; 32:639-646. [PMID: 38374469 PMCID: PMC11153511 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-024-01562-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss (HL) is a heterogenous trait with pathogenic variants in more than 200 genes that have been discovered in studies involving small and large HL families. Over one-third of families with hereditary HL remain etiologically undiagnosed after screening for mutations in the recognized genes. Genetic heterogeneity complicates the analysis in multiplex families where variants in more than one gene can be causal in different individuals even in the same sibship. We employed exome or genome sequencing in at least two affected individuals with congenital or prelingual-onset, severe to profound, non-syndromic, bilateral sensorineural HL from four multiplex families. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to identify variants in known and candidate deafness genes. Our results show that in these four families, variants in a single HL gene do not explain HL in all affected family members, and variants in another known or candidate HL gene were detected to clarify HL in the entire family. We also present a variant in TOGARAM2 as a potential cause underlying autosomal recessive non-syndromic HL by showing its presence in a family with HL, its expression in the cochlea and the localization of the protein to cochlear hair cells. Conclusively, analyzing all affected family members separately can serve as a good source for the identification of variants in known and novel candidate genes for HL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Memoona Ramzan
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mohammad Faraz Zafeer
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Clemer Abad
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Shengru Guo
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Daniel Owrang
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and Inner Ear Lab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ozgul Alper
- Department of Medical Genetics, Antalya University Medical School, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Mutlu
- Departmet of Otolaryngology, Istanbul Medeniyet University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
- Otorhinolaryngology Clinic of Goztepe Prof. Dr. Suleyman Yalcin City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tahir Atik
- Division of Pediatric Genetics, Ege University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Duygu Duman
- Department of Audiology, Ankara University Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Guney Bademci
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Barbara Vona
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and Inner Ear Lab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mahmut Tayyar Kalcioglu
- Departmet of Otolaryngology, Istanbul Medeniyet University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
- Otorhinolaryngology Clinic of Goztepe Prof. Dr. Suleyman Yalcin City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Katherina Walz
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- IQUIBICEN CONICET, Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mustafa Tekin
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
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2
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Boussaty EC, Ninoyu Y, Andrade LR, Li Q, Takeya R, Sumimoto H, Ohyama T, Wahlin KJ, Manor U, Friedman RA. Altered Fhod3 expression involved in progressive high-frequency hearing loss via dysregulation of actin polymerization stoichiometry in the cuticular plate. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011211. [PMID: 38498576 PMCID: PMC10977885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a common sensory impairment with complex underlying mechanisms. In our previous study, we performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in mice and identified a novel locus on chromosome 18 associated with ARHL specifically linked to a 32 kHz tone burst stimulus. Consequently, we investigated the role of Formin Homology 2 Domain Containing 3 (Fhod3), a newly discovered candidate gene for ARHL based on the GWAS results. We observed Fhod3 expression in auditory hair cells (HCs) primarily localized at the cuticular plate (CP). To understand the functional implications of Fhod3 in the cochlea, we generated Fhod3 overexpression mice (Pax2-Cre+/-; Fhod3Tg/+) (TG) and HC-specific conditional knockout mice (Atoh1-Cre+/-; Fhod3fl/fl) (KO). Audiological assessments in TG mice demonstrated progressive high-frequency hearing loss, characterized by predominant loss of outer hair cells, and a decreased phalloidin intensities of CP. Ultrastructural analysis revealed loss of the shortest row of stereocilia in the basal turn of the cochlea, and alterations in the cuticular plate surrounding stereocilia rootlets. Importantly, the hearing and HC phenotype in TG mice phenocopied that of the KO mice. These findings suggest that balanced expression of Fhod3 is critical for proper CP and stereocilia structure and function. Further investigation of Fhod3 related hearing impairment mechanisms may lend new insight towards the myriad mechanisms underlying ARHL, which in turn could facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for ARHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ely Cheikh Boussaty
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Yuzuru Ninoyu
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Leonardo R. Andrade
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Qingzhong Li
- USC-Tina and Rick Caruso Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, USC Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ryu Takeya
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Hideki Sumimoto
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ohyama
- USC-Tina and Rick Caruso Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, USC Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Karl J. Wahlin
- Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Uri Manor
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, United States of America
| | - Rick A. Friedman
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Ramzan M, Bozan N, Seyhan S, Zafeer MF, Ayral A, Duman D, Bademci G, Tekin M. Novel GPR156 variants confirm its role in moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17010. [PMID: 37814107 PMCID: PMC10562426 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44259-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hereditary hearing loss (HL) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder affecting people worldwide. The implementation of advanced sequencing technologies has significantly contributed to the identification of novel genes involved in HL. In this study, probands of two Turkish families with non-syndromic moderate HL were subjected to exome sequencing. The data analysis identified the c.600G > A (p.Thr200Thr) and c.1863dupG (p.His622fs) variants in GPR156, which co-segregated with the phenotype as an autosomal recessive trait in the respective families. The in silico predictions and a minigene assay showed that the c.600G > A variant disrupts mRNA splicing. This gene belongs to the family of G protein-coupled receptors whose function is not well established in the inner ear. GPR156 variants have very recently been reported to cause HL in three families. Our study from a different ethnic background confirms GPR156 as a bona fide gene involved in HL in humans. Further investigation towards the understanding of the role of GPCRs in the inner ear is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Memoona Ramzan
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1501 NW 10Th Avenue, BRB-610 (M860), Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Nazim Bozan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Yuzuncu Yil University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey
| | - Serhat Seyhan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Uskudar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mohammad Faraz Zafeer
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1501 NW 10Th Avenue, BRB-610 (M860), Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Aburrahman Ayral
- Department of Otolaryngology, Yuzuncu Yil University School of Medicine, Van, Turkey
| | - Duygu Duman
- Department of Audiology, Ankara University Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Guney Bademci
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mustafa Tekin
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1501 NW 10Th Avenue, BRB-610 (M860), Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
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4
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Boussaty EC, Ninoyu Y, Andrade L, Li Q, Takeya R, Sumimoto H, Ohyama T, Wahlin KJ, Manor U, Friedman RA. Altered Fhod3 Expression Involved in Progressive High-Frequency Hearing Loss via Dysregulation of Actin Polymerization Stoichiometry in The Cuticular Plate. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.20.549974. [PMID: 37546952 PMCID: PMC10401921 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.20.549974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a common sensory impairment with comlex underlying mechanisms. In our previous study, we performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in mice and identified a novel locus on chromosome 18 associated with ARHL specifically linked to a 32 kHz tone burst stimulus. Consequently, we investigated the role of Formin Homology 2 Domain Containing 3 (Fhod3), a newly discovered candidate gene for ARHL based on the GWAS results. We observed Fhod3 expression in auditory hair cells (HCs) and primarily localized at the cuticular plate (CP). To understand the functional implications of Fhod3 in the cochlea, we generated Fhod3 overexpression mice (Pax2-Cre+/-; Fhod3Tg/+) (TG) and HC-specific conditional knockout mice (Atoh1-Cre+/-; Fhod3fl/fl) (KO). Audiological assessments in TG mice demonstrated progressive high-frequency hearing loss, characterized by predominant loss of outer HCs and decrease phalloidin intensities of CP. Ultrastructural analysis revealed shortened stereocilia in the basal turn cochlea. Importantly, the hearing and HC phenotype in TG mice were replicated in KO mice. These findings indicate that Fhod3 plays a critical role in regulating actin dynamics in CP and stereocilia. Further investigation of Fhod3-related hearing impairment mechanisms may facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for ARHL in humans.
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5
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Greene D, Pirri D, Frudd K, Sackey E, Al-Owain M, Giese APJ, Ramzan K, Riaz S, Yamanaka I, Boeckx N, Thys C, Gelb BD, Brennan P, Hartill V, Harvengt J, Kosho T, Mansour S, Masuno M, Ohata T, Stewart H, Taibah K, Turner CLS, Imtiaz F, Riazuddin S, Morisaki T, Ostergaard P, Loeys BL, Morisaki H, Ahmed ZM, Birdsey GM, Freson K, Mumford A, Turro E. Genetic association analysis of 77,539 genomes reveals rare disease etiologies. Nat Med 2023; 29:679-688. [PMID: 36928819 PMCID: PMC10033407 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02211-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The genetic etiologies of more than half of rare diseases remain unknown. Standardized genome sequencing and phenotyping of large patient cohorts provide an opportunity for discovering the unknown etiologies, but this depends on efficient and powerful analytical methods. We built a compact database, the 'Rareservoir', containing the rare variant genotypes and phenotypes of 77,539 participants sequenced by the 100,000 Genomes Project. We then used the Bayesian genetic association method BeviMed to infer associations between genes and each of 269 rare disease classes assigned by clinicians to the participants. We identified 241 known and 19 previously unidentified associations. We validated associations with ERG, PMEPA1 and GPR156 by searching for pedigrees in other cohorts and using bioinformatic and experimental approaches. We provide evidence that (1) loss-of-function variants in the Erythroblast Transformation Specific (ETS)-family transcription factor encoding gene ERG lead to primary lymphoedema, (2) truncating variants in the last exon of transforming growth factor-β regulator PMEPA1 result in Loeys-Dietz syndrome and (3) loss-of-function variants in GPR156 give rise to recessive congenital hearing impairment. The Rareservoir provides a lightweight, flexible and portable system for synthesizing the genetic and phenotypic data required to study rare disease cohorts with tens of thousands of participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Greene
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniela Pirri
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Karen Frudd
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ege Sackey
- Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St. George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Mohammed Al-Owain
- Department of Medical Genomics, Centre for Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arnaud P J Giese
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Khushnooda Ramzan
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Centre for Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sehar Riaz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Itaru Yamanaka
- Department of Bioscience and Genetics, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nele Boeckx
- Center for Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital/University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chantal Thys
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruce D Gelb
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paul Brennan
- Northern Genetics Service, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals National Health Service Trust International Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Verity Hartill
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Leeds, UK
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Julie Harvengt
- Centre for Medical Genetics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Tomoki Kosho
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan
- Center for Medical Genetics, Shinshu University Hospital, Nagano, Japan
| | - Sahar Mansour
- Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St. George's University of London, London, UK
- South West Thames Regional Genetics Service, St. George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Mitsuo Masuno
- Department of Medical Genetics, Kawasaki Medical School Hospital, Okayama, Japan
| | | | - Helen Stewart
- Oxford University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Khalid Taibah
- Ear Nose and Throat Medical Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Claire L S Turner
- Peninsula Clinical Genetics Service, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK
| | - Faiqa Imtiaz
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Centre for Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saima Riazuddin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Takayuki Morisaki
- Department of Bioscience and Genetics, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathology and Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Pia Ostergaard
- Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St. George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Bart L Loeys
- Center for Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital/University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Hiroko Morisaki
- Department of Bioscience and Genetics, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Sakakibara Heart Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Zubair M Ahmed
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Graeme M Birdsey
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Kathleen Freson
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Andrew Mumford
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- South West National Health Service Genomic Medicine Service Alliance, Bristol, UK
| | - Ernest Turro
- Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK.
- Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Deletion of the Notch ligand Jagged1 during cochlear maturation leads to inner hair cell defects and hearing loss. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:971. [PMID: 36400760 PMCID: PMC9674855 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05380-w] [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: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian cochlea is an exceptionally well-organized epithelium composed of hair cells, supporting cells, and innervating neurons. Loss or defects in any of these cell types, particularly the specialized sensory hair cells, leads to deafness. The Notch pathway is known to play a critical role in the decision to become either a hair cell or a supporting cell during embryogenesis; however, little is known about how Notch functions later during cochlear maturation. Uniquely amongst Notch ligands, Jagged1 (JAG1) is localized to supporting cells during cell fate acquisition and continues to be expressed into adulthood. Here, we demonstrate that JAG1 in maturing cochlear supporting cells is essential for normal cochlear function. Specifically, we show that deletion of JAG1 during cochlear maturation disrupts the inner hair cell pathway and leads to a type of deafness clinically similar to auditory neuropathy. Common pathologies associated with disruptions in inner hair cell function, including loss of hair cells, synapses, or auditory neurons, were not observed in JAG1 mutant cochleae. Instead, RNA-seq analysis of JAG1-deficient cochleae identified dysregulation of the Rho GTPase pathway, known to be involved in stereocilia development and maintenance. Interestingly, the overexpression of one of the altered genes, Diaph3, is responsible for autosomal dominant auditory neuropathy-1 (AUNA1) in humans and mice, and is associated with defects in the inner hair cell stereocilia. Strikingly, ultrastructural analyses of JAG1-deleted cochleae revealed stereocilia defects in inner hair cells, including fused and elongated bundles, that were similar to those stereocilia defects reported in AUNA1 mice. Taken together, these data indicate a novel role for Notch signaling in normal hearing development through maintaining stereocilia integrity of the inner hair cells during cochlear maturation.
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Zhai X, Du H, Shen Y, Zhang X, Chen Z, Wang Y, Xu Z. FCHSD2 is required for stereocilia maintenance in mouse cochlear hair cells. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:jcs259912. [PMID: 35892293 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Stereocilia are F-actin-based protrusions on the apical surface of inner-ear hair cells and are indispensable for hearing and balance perception. The stereocilia of each hair cell are organized into rows of increasing heights, forming a staircase-like pattern. The development and maintenance of stereocilia are tightly regulated, and deficits in these processes lead to stereocilia disorganization and hearing loss. Previously, we showed that the F-BAR protein FCHSD2 is localized along the stereocilia of cochlear hair cells and cooperates with CDC42 to regulate F-actin polymerization and cell protrusion formation in cultured COS-7 cells. In the present work, Fchsd2 knockout mice were established to investigate the role of FCHSD2 in hearing. Our data show that stereocilia maintenance is severely affected in cochlear hair cells of Fchsd2 knockout mice, which leads to progressive hearing loss. Moreover, Fchsd2 knockout mice show increased acoustic vulnerability. Noise exposure causes robust stereocilia degeneration as well as enhanced hearing threshold elevation in Fchsd2 knockout mice. Lastly, Fchsd2/Cdc42 double knockout mice show more severe stereocilia deficits and hearing loss, suggesting that FCHSD2 and CDC42 cooperatively regulate stereocilia maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Zhai
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology and Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education , School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Haibo Du
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology and Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education , School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Yuxin Shen
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology and Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education , School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Xiujuan Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology and Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education , School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Zhengjun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology , Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 200031, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yanfei Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology and Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education , School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Zhigang Xu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology and Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education , School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
- Shandong Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology , Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China
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8
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Chiereghin C, Robusto M, Massa V, Castorina P, Ambrosetti U, Asselta R, Soldà G. Role of Cytoskeletal Diaphanous-Related Formins in Hearing Loss. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111726. [PMID: 35681420 PMCID: PMC9179844 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing relies on the proper functioning of auditory hair cells and on actin-based cytoskeletal structures. Diaphanous-related formins (DRFs) are evolutionarily conserved cytoskeletal proteins that regulate the nucleation of linear unbranched actin filaments. They play key roles during metazoan development, and they seem particularly pivotal for the correct physiology of the reproductive and auditory systems. Indeed, in Drosophila melanogaster, a single diaphanous (dia) gene is present, and mutants show sterility and impaired response to sound. Vertebrates, instead, have three orthologs of the diaphanous gene: DIAPH1, DIAPH2, and DIAPH3. In humans, defects in DIAPH1 and DIAPH3 have been associated with different types of hearing loss. In particular, heterozygous mutations in DIAPH1 are responsible for autosomal dominant deafness with or without thrombocytopenia (DFNA1, MIM #124900), whereas regulatory mutations inducing the overexpression of DIAPH3 cause autosomal dominant auditory neuropathy 1 (AUNA1, MIM #609129). Here, we provide an overview of the expression and function of DRFs in normal hearing and deafness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Chiereghin
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy; (C.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Michela Robusto
- Experimental Therapeutics Program, IFOM ETS—The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy;
| | - Valentina Massa
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Di Rudinì 8, 20146 Milan, Italy;
| | | | - Umberto Ambrosetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e di Comunità, Università degli Studi di Milano and Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, UO Audiologia, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy;
| | - Rosanna Asselta
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy; (C.C.); (R.A.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Soldà
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy; (C.C.); (R.A.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Abstract
Almost 25 years have passed since a mutation of a formin gene, DIAPH1, was identified as being responsible for a human inherited disorder: a form of sensorineural hearing loss. Since then, our knowledge of the links between formins and disease has deepened considerably. Mutations of DIAPH1 and six other formin genes (DAAM2, DIAPH2, DIAPH3, FMN2, INF2 and FHOD3) have been identified as the genetic cause of a variety of inherited human disorders, including intellectual disability, renal disease, peripheral neuropathy, thrombocytopenia, primary ovarian insufficiency, hearing loss and cardiomyopathy. In addition, alterations in formin genes have been associated with a variety of pathological conditions, including developmental defects affecting the heart, nervous system and kidney, aging-related diseases, and cancer. This review summarizes the most recent discoveries about the involvement of formin alterations in monogenic disorders and other human pathological conditions, especially cancer, with which they have been associated. In vitro results and experiments in modified animal models are discussed. Finally, we outline the directions for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Miguel A. Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
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