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Maraslioglu-Sperber A, Pizzi E, Fisch JO, Kattler K, Ritter T, Friauf E. Molecular and functional profiling of cell diversity and identity in the lateral superior olive, an auditory brainstem center with ascending and descending projections. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1354520. [PMID: 38846638 PMCID: PMC11153811 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1354520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The lateral superior olive (LSO), a prominent integration center in the auditory brainstem, contains a remarkably heterogeneous population of neurons. Ascending neurons, predominantly principal neurons (pLSOs), process interaural level differences for sound localization. Descending neurons (lateral olivocochlear neurons, LOCs) provide feedback into the cochlea and are thought to protect against acoustic overload. The molecular determinants of the neuronal diversity in the LSO are largely unknown. Here, we used patch-seq analysis in mice at postnatal days P10-12 to classify developing LSO neurons according to their functional and molecular profiles. Across the entire sample (n = 86 neurons), genes involved in ATP synthesis were particularly highly expressed, confirming the energy expenditure of auditory neurons. Two clusters were identified, pLSOs and LOCs. They were distinguished by 353 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), most of which were novel for the LSO. Electrophysiological analysis confirmed the transcriptomic clustering. We focused on genes affecting neuronal input-output properties and validated some of them by immunohistochemistry, electrophysiology, and pharmacology. These genes encode proteins such as osteopontin, Kv11.3, and Kvβ3 (pLSO-specific), calcitonin-gene-related peptide (LOC-specific), or Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 (no DEGs). We identified 12 "Super DEGs" and 12 genes showing "Cluster similarity." Collectively, we provide fundamental and comprehensive insights into the molecular composition of individual ascending and descending neurons in the juvenile auditory brainstem and how this may relate to their specific functions, including developmental aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayse Maraslioglu-Sperber
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Erika Pizzi
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Jonas O. Fisch
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Kathrin Kattler
- Genetics/Epigenetics Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Tamara Ritter
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Eckhard Friauf
- Animal Physiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany
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Hong J, Dai P, Liang H, Sun G, Qi W, Bi Y. Extrasynaptic distribution of NMDA receptors in cochlear inner hair cell afferent signaling complex. J Chem Neuroanat 2024; 137:102417. [PMID: 38570170 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2024.102417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The distribution and role of NMDA receptors is unclear in the afferent signaling complex of the cochlea. The present study aimed to examine the distribution of NMDA receptors in cochlear afferent signaling complex of the adult mouse, and their relationship with ribbon synapses of inner hair cells (IHCs) and GABAergic efferent terminals of the lateral olivocochlear (LOC). METHODS Immunofluorescence staining in combination with confocal microscopy was used to investigate the distribution of glutamatergic NMDA and AMPA receptors in afferent terminals of SGNs, and their relationship with ribbon synapses of IHCs and GABAergic efferent terminals of LOC. RESULTS Terminals with AMPA receptors along with Ribbons of IHC formed afferent synapses in the basal pole of IHCs, and those with NMDA receptors were mainly distributed longitudinally in the IHCs nuclei region. Significant difference was found in the distribution of NMDA and AMPA receptors in IHC afferent signaling complex (P<0.05). Some GABAergic terminals colocalized with NMDA receptors at the IHC nucleus region (P>0.05). CONCLUSION There is significant difference in the distribution of NMDA and AMPA receptors in cochlear afferent signaling complex. NMDA receptors are present in the extra-synaptic region of ribbon synapses of IHCs, and they are related to GABA efferent terminals of the afferent signaling complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Hong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
| | - Peidong Dai
- ENT Institute, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University; NHC Hearing Medicine Key Laboratory (Fudan University), Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Huazheng Liang
- Monash Suzhou Research Institute, Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guangbin Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Weidong Qi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Yong Bi
- Department of Neurology, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences Affiliated Zhoupu Hospital, Shanghai 201318, China.
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Bachman JL, Kitcher SR, Vattino LG, Beaulac HJ, Chaves MG, Rivera IH, Katz E, Wedemeyer C, Weisz CJ. GABAergic synapses between auditory efferent neurons and type II spiral ganglion afferent neurons in the mouse cochlea. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.28.587185. [PMID: 38586043 PMCID: PMC10996694 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.28.587185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) are electromotile and are implicated in mechanisms of amplification of responses to sound that enhance sound sensitivity and frequency tuning. They send information to the brain through glutamatergic synapses onto a small subpopulation of neurons of the ascending auditory nerve, the type II spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). The OHC synapses onto type II SGNs are sparse and weak, suggesting that type II SGNs respond primarily to loud and possibly damaging levels of sound. OHCs also receive innervation from the brain through the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent neurons. MOC neurons are cholinergic yet exert an inhibitory effect on auditory function as they are coupled to alpha9/alpha10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on OHCs, which leads to calcium influx that gates SK potassium channels. The net hyperpolarization exerted by this efferent synapse reduces OHC activity-evoked electromotility and is implicated in cochlear gain control, protection against acoustic trauma, and attention. MOC neurons also label for markers of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and GABA synthesis. GABAB autoreceptor (GABABR) activation by GABA released from MOC terminals has been demonstrated to reduce ACh release, confirming important negative feedback roles for GABA. However, the full complement of GABAergic activity in the cochlea is not currently understood, including the mechanisms that regulate GABA release from MOC axon terminals, whether GABA diffuses from MOC axon terminals to other postsynaptic cells, and the location and function of GABAA receptors (GABAARs). Previous electron microscopy studies suggest that MOC neurons form contacts onto several other cell types in the cochlea, but whether these contacts form functional synapses, and what neurotransmitters are employed, are unknown. Here we use immunohistochemistry, optical neurotransmitter imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology from hair cells, afferent dendrites, and efferent axons to demonstrate that in addition to presynaptic GABABR autoreceptor activation, MOC efferent axon terminals release GABA onto type II SGN afferent dendrites with postsynaptic activity mediated by GABAARs. This synapse may have multiple roles including developmental regulation of cochlear innervation, fine tuning of OHC activity, or providing feedback to the brain about MOC and OHC activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia L. Bachman
- These authors contributed equally
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Siân R. Kitcher
- These authors contributed equally
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lucas G. Vattino
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Dr. Héctor N. Torres, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1428 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Eaton Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Holly J. Beaulac
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - M. Grace Chaves
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Eaton Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Biosciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Israel Hernandez Rivera
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Eleonora Katz
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Dr. Héctor N. Torres, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1428 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Wedemeyer
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Dr. Héctor N. Torres, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1428 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Catherine J.C. Weisz
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Fischl M, Pederson A, Voglewede R, Cheng H, Drew J, Cadenas LT, Weisz CJ. Fast inhibition slows and desynchronizes mouse auditory efferent neuron activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.21.572886. [PMID: 38313270 PMCID: PMC10836066 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.21.572886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The encoding of acoustic stimuli requires precise neuron timing. Auditory neurons in the cochlear nucleus (CN) and brainstem are well-suited for accurate analysis of fast acoustic signals, given their physiological specializations of fast membrane time constants, fast axonal conduction, and reliable synaptic transmission. The medial olivocochlear (MOC) neurons that provide efferent inhibition of the cochlea reside in the ventral brainstem and participate in these fast neural circuits. However, their modulation of cochlear function occurs over time scales of a slower nature. This suggests the presence of mechanisms that restrict MOC inhibition of cochlear function. To determine how monaural excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs integrate to affect the timing of MOC neuron activity, we developed a novel in vitro slice preparation ('wedge-slice'). The wedge-slice maintains the ascending auditory nerve root, the entire CN and projecting axons, while preserving the ability to perform visually guided patch-clamp electrophysiology recordings from genetically identified MOC neurons. The 'in vivo-like' timing of the wedge-slice demonstrates that the inhibitory pathway accelerates relative to the excitatory pathway when the ascending circuit is intact, and the CN portion of the inhibitory circuit is precise enough to compensate for reduced precision in later synapses. When combined with machine learning PSC analysis and computational modeling, we demonstrate a larger suppression of MOC neuron activity when the inhibition occurs with in vivo-like timing. This delay of MOC activity may ensure that the MOC system is only engaged by sustained background sounds, preventing a maladaptive hyper-suppression of cochlear activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Fischl
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Current affiliation: Lafayette College, Neuroscience Program, Easton, PA 18042, USA
| | - Alia Pederson
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Current affiliation: The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Rebecca Voglewede
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hui Cheng
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Collaboration Core, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jordan Drew
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Current affiliation: Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Lester Torres Cadenas
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Catherine J.C. Weisz
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Frank MM, Sitko AA, Suthakar K, Torres Cadenas L, Hunt M, Yuk MC, Weisz CJC, Goodrich LV. Experience-dependent flexibility in a molecularly diverse central-to-peripheral auditory feedback system. eLife 2023; 12:e83855. [PMID: 36876911 PMCID: PMC10147377 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Brainstem olivocochlear neurons (OCNs) modulate the earliest stages of auditory processing through feedback projections to the cochlea and have been shown to influence hearing and protect the ear from sound-induced damage. Here, we used single-nucleus sequencing, anatomical reconstructions, and electrophysiology to characterize murine OCNs during postnatal development, in mature animals, and after sound exposure. We identified markers for known medial (MOC) and lateral (LOC) OCN subtypes, and show that they express distinct cohorts of physiologically relevant genes that change over development. In addition, we discovered a neuropeptide-enriched LOC subtype that produces Neuropeptide Y along with other neurotransmitters. Throughout the cochlea, both LOC subtypes extend arborizations over wide frequency domains. Moreover, LOC neuropeptide expression is strongly upregulated days after acoustic trauma, potentially providing a sustained protective signal to the cochlea. OCNs are therefore poised to have diffuse, dynamic effects on early auditory processing over timescales ranging from milliseconds to days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Frank
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Austen A Sitko
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Kirupa Suthakar
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication DisordersBethesdaUnited States
| | - Lester Torres Cadenas
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication DisordersBethesdaUnited States
| | - Mackenzie Hunt
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Mary Caroline Yuk
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Catherine JC Weisz
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication DisordersBethesdaUnited States
| | - Lisa V Goodrich
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
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Ren J, Sun Y, Dai B, Song W, Tan T, Guo L, Cao H, Wu Y, Hu W, Wang Z, Haiping D. Association between Ca2+ Signaling Pathway-Related Gene Polymorphism and Age-Related Hearing Loss in Qingdao Chinese Elderly. RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422100076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Vega R, García-Garibay O, Soto E. Opioid receptor activation modulates the calcium current in the cochlear outer hair cells of the rat. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:3543-3552. [PMID: 35501117 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Previous works showed that opioid peptides are produced by olivocochlear efferent neurons, while cochlear hair cells express opioid receptors. It has been proposed that opioids protect the auditory system from damage by intense stimulation, although their use for therapeutic or illicit purposes links to hearing impairment. Therefore, it is relevant to study the effect of opioids in the auditory system to define their functional expression and mechanism of action. This study investigated the modulation of the Ca2+ currents by opioid peptides in the rat outer hair cells (OHC) using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The influence of agonists of the three opioid receptor subtypes (μ, δ, and κ) was studied. The κ opioid receptor agonist U-50488 inhibits the Ca2+ currents in a partially reversible form. Coincidently, norbinaltorphimine (a κ receptor antagonist) blocked the U-50488 inhibitory effect on the Ca2+ current. The δ- and the μ opioid receptor agonists did not significantly affect the Ca2+ currents. These results indicate that the κ opioid receptor activation inhibits the Ca2+ current in OHC, modulating the intracellular Ca2+ concentration when OHCs depolarize. The modulation of the auditory function by opioids constitutes a relevant mechanism with a potential role in the physiopathology of auditory disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Vega
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México
| | | | - Enrique Soto
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México
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Lee C, Sinha AK, Henry K, Walbaum AW, Crooks PA, Holt JC. Characterizing the Access of Cholinergic Antagonists to Efferent Synapses in the Inner Ear. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:754585. [PMID: 34970112 PMCID: PMC8712681 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.754585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulation of cholinergic efferent neurons innervating the inner ear has profound, well-characterized effects on vestibular and auditory physiology, after activating distinct ACh receptors (AChRs) on afferents and hair cells in peripheral endorgans. Efferent-mediated fast and slow excitation of vestibular afferents are mediated by α4β2*-containing nicotinic AChRs (nAChRs) and muscarinic AChRs (mAChRs), respectively. On the auditory side, efferent-mediated suppression of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) is mediated by α9α10nAChRs. Previous characterization of these synaptic mechanisms utilized cholinergic drugs, that when systemically administered, also reach the CNS, which may limit their utility in probing efferent function without also considering central effects. Use of peripherally-acting cholinergic drugs with local application strategies may be useful, but this approach has remained relatively unexplored. Using multiple administration routes, we performed a combination of vestibular afferent and DPOAE recordings during efferent stimulation in mouse and turtle to determine whether charged mAChR or α9α10nAChR antagonists, with little CNS entry, can still engage efferent synaptic targets in the inner ear. The charged mAChR antagonists glycopyrrolate and methscopolamine blocked efferent-mediated slow excitation of mouse vestibular afferents following intraperitoneal, middle ear, or direct perilymphatic administration. Both mAChR antagonists were effective when delivered to the middle ear, contralateral to the side of afferent recordings, suggesting they gain vascular access after first entering the perilymphatic compartment. In contrast, charged α9α10nAChR antagonists blocked efferent-mediated suppression of DPOAEs only upon direct perilymphatic application, but failed to reach efferent synapses when systemically administered. These data show that efferent mechanisms are viable targets for further characterizing drug access in the inner ear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choongheon Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Anjali K Sinha
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Kenneth Henry
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Anqi W Walbaum
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Peter A Crooks
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Joseph C Holt
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States.,Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
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Zhu YM, Li Q, Gao X, Li YF, Liu YL, Dai P, Li XP. Familial Temperature-Sensitive Auditory Neuropathy: Distinctive Clinical Courses Caused by Variants of the OTOF Gene. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:732930. [PMID: 34692690 PMCID: PMC8529165 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.732930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the clinical course and genetic etiology of familial temperature-sensitive auditory neuropathy (TSAN), which is a very rare subtype of auditory neuropathy (AN) that involves an elevation of hearing thresholds due to an increase in the core body temperature, and to evaluate the genotype-phenotype correlations in a family with TSAN. Methods: Six members of a non-consanguineous Chinese family, including four siblings complaining of communication difficulties when febrile, were enrolled in this study. The clinical and audiological profiles of the four siblings were fully evaluated during both febrile and afebrile episodes, and the genetic etiology of hearing loss (HL) was explored using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Their parents, who had no complaints of fluctuating HL due to body temperature variation, were enrolled for the genetics portion only. Results: Audiological tests during the patients' febrile episodes met the classical diagnostic criteria for AN, including mild HL, poor speech discrimination, preserved cochlear microphonics (CMs), and absent auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). Importantly, unlike the pattern observed in previously reported cases of TSAN, the ABRs and electrocochleography (ECochG) signals of our patients improved to normal during afebrile periods. Genetic analysis identified a compound heterozygous variant of the OTOF gene (which encodes the otoferlin protein), including one previously reported pathogenic variant, c.5098G > C (p.Glu1700Gln), and one novel variant, c.4882C > A (p.Pro1628Thr). Neither of the identified variants affected the C2 domains related to the main function of otoferlin. Both variants faithfully cosegregated with TSAN within the pedigree, suggesting that OTOF is the causative gene of the autosomal recessive trait segregation in this family. Conclusion: The presence of CMs with absent (or markedly abnormal) ABRs is a reliable criterion for diagnosing AN. The severity of the phenotype caused by dysfunctional neurotransmitter release in TSAN may reflect variants that alter the C2 domains of otoferlin. The observations from this study enrich the current understanding of the phenotype and genotype of TSAN and may lay a foundation for further research on its pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ming Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qi Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xue Gao
- Department of Otolaryngology, PLA Rocket Force Characteristic Medical Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Fei Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - You-Li Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pu Dai
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang-Ping Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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