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Brotto D, Greggio M, De Filippis C, Trevisi P. Autosomal Recessive Non-Syndromic Deafness: Is AAV Gene Therapy a Real Chance? Audiol Res 2024; 14:239-253. [PMID: 38525683 PMCID: PMC10961695 DOI: 10.3390/audiolres14020022] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The etiology of sensorineural hearing loss is heavily influenced by genetic mutations, with approximately 80% of cases attributed to genetic causes and only 20% to environmental factors. Over 100 non-syndromic deafness genes have been identified in humans thus far. In non-syndromic sensorineural hearing impairment, around 75-85% of cases follow an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. In recent years, groundbreaking advancements in molecular gene therapy for inner-ear disorders have shown promising results. Experimental studies have demonstrated improvements in hearing following a single local injection of adeno-associated virus-derived vectors carrying an additional normal gene or using ribozymes to modify the genome. These pioneering approaches have opened new possibilities for potential therapeutic interventions. Following the PRISMA criteria, we summarized the AAV gene therapy experiments showing hearing improvement in the preclinical phases of development in different animal models of DFNB deafness and the AAV gene therapy programs currently in clinical phases targeting autosomal recessive non syndromic hearing loss. A total of 17 preclinical studies and 3 clinical studies were found and listed. Despite the hurdles, there have been significant breakthroughs in the path of HL gene therapy, holding great potential for providing patients with novel and effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Brotto
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (C.D.F.); (P.T.)
- Otolaryngology Unit, Azienda Ospedale Università Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Greggio
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (C.D.F.); (P.T.)
- Otolaryngology Unit, Azienda Ospedale Università Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Cosimo De Filippis
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (C.D.F.); (P.T.)
| | - Patrizia Trevisi
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (C.D.F.); (P.T.)
- Otolaryngology Unit, Azienda Ospedale Università Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
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Zhou LY, Jin CX, Wang WX, Song L, Shin JB, Du TT, Wu H. Differential regulation of hair cell actin cytoskeleton mediated by SRF and MRTFB. eLife 2023; 12:e90155. [PMID: 37982489 PMCID: PMC10703445 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90155] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The MRTF-SRF pathway has been extensively studied for its crucial role in driving the expression of a large number of genes involved in actin cytoskeleton of various cell types. However, the specific contribution of MRTF-SRF in hair cells remains unknown. In this study, we showed that hair cell-specific deletion of Srf or Mrtfb, but not Mrtfa, leads to similar defects in the development of stereocilia dimensions and the maintenance of cuticular plate integrity. We used fluorescence-activated cell sorting-based hair cell RNA-Seq analysis to investigate the mechanistic underpinnings of the changes observed in Srf and Mrtfb mutants, respectively. Interestingly, the transcriptome analysis revealed distinct profiles of genes regulated by Srf and Mrtfb, suggesting different transcriptional regulation mechanisms of actin cytoskeleton activities mediated by Srf and Mrtfb. Exogenous delivery of calponin 2 using Adeno-associated virus transduction in Srf mutants partially rescued the impairments of stereocilia dimensions and the F-actin intensity of cuticular plate, suggesting the involvement of Cnn2, as an Srf downstream target, in regulating the hair bundle morphology and cuticular plate actin cytoskeleton organization. Our study uncovers, for the first time, the unexpected differential transcriptional regulation of actin cytoskeleton mediated by Srf and Mrtfb in hair cells, and also demonstrates the critical role of SRF-CNN2 in modulating actin dynamics of the stereocilia and cuticular plate, providing new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying hair cell development and maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Yun Zhou
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Chen-Xi Jin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Wen-Xiao Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Lei Song
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Jung-Bum Shin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of VirginiaCharlottesvilleUnited States
| | - Ting-Ting Du
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose DiseasesShanghaiChina
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose DiseasesShanghaiChina
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Khurana L, Harczos T, Moser T, Jablonski L. En route to sound coding strategies for optical cochlear implants. iScience 2023; 26:107725. [PMID: 37720089 PMCID: PMC10502376 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107725] [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] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss is the most common human sensory deficit. Severe-to-complete sensorineural hearing loss is often treated by electrical cochlear implants (eCIs) bypassing dysfunctional or lost hair cells by direct stimulation of the auditory nerve. The wide current spread from each intracochlear electrode array contact activates large sets of tonotopically organized neurons limiting spectral selectivity of sound coding. Despite many efforts, an increase in the number of independent eCI stimulation channels seems impossible to achieve. Light, which can be better confined in space than electric current may help optical cochlear implants (oCIs) to overcome eCI shortcomings. In this review, we present the current state of the optogenetic sound encoding. We highlight optical sound coding strategy development capitalizing on the optical stimulation that requires fine-grained, fast, and power-efficient real-time sound processing controlling dozens of microscale optical emitters as an emerging research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakshay Khurana
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Auditory Neuroscience and Optogenetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Auditory Neuroscience and Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- Junior Research Group “Computational Neuroscience and Neuroengineering”, Göttingen, Germany
- The Doctoral Program “Sensory and Motor Neuroscience”, Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB), Göttingen, Germany
- InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tamas Harczos
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Auditory Neuroscience and Optogenetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Moser
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Auditory Neuroscience and Optogenetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Auditory Neuroscience and Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence “Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells” (MBExC), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lukasz Jablonski
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Auditory Neuroscience and Optogenetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
- Junior Research Group “Computational Neuroscience and Neuroengineering”, Göttingen, Germany
- InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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4
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Jeng JY, Carlton AJ, Goodyear RJ, Chinowsky C, Ceriani F, Johnson SL, Sung TC, Dayn Y, Richardson GP, Bowl MR, Brown SD, Manor U, Marcotti W. AAV-mediated rescue of Eps8 expression in vivo restores hair-cell function in a mouse model of recessive deafness. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 26:355-370. [PMID: 36034774 PMCID: PMC9382420 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The transduction of acoustic information by hair cells depends upon mechanosensitive stereociliary bundles that project from their apical surface. Mutations or absence of the stereociliary protein EPS8 cause deafness in humans and mice, respectively. Eps8 knockout mice (Eps8 -/- ) have hair cells with immature stereocilia and fail to become sensory receptors. Here, we show that exogenous delivery of Eps8 using Anc80L65 in P1-P2 Eps8 -/- mice in vivo rescued the hair bundle structure of apical-coil hair cells. Rescued hair bundles correctly localize EPS8, WHIRLIN, MYO15, and BAIAP2L2, and generate normal mechanoelectrical transducer currents. Inner hair cells with normal-looking stereocilia re-expressed adult-like basolateral ion channels (BK and KCNQ4) and have normal exocytosis. The number of hair cells undergoing full recovery was not sufficient to rescue hearing in Eps8 -/- mice. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-transduction of P3 apical-coil and P1-P2 basal-coil hair cells does not rescue hair cells, nor does Anc80L65-Eps8 delivery in adult Eps8 -/- mice. We propose that AAV-induced gene-base therapy is an efficient strategy to recover the complex hair-cell defects in Eps8 -/- mice. However, this therapeutic approach may need to be performed in utero since, at postnatal ages, Eps8 -/- hair cells appear to have matured or accumulated damage beyond the point of repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yi Jeng
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Adam J. Carlton
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Richard J. Goodyear
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Colbie Chinowsky
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Federico Ceriani
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Stuart L. Johnson
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Tsung-Chang Sung
- Transgenic Core, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Yelena Dayn
- Transgenic Core, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Guy P. Richardson
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Michael R. Bowl
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD UK
| | - Steve D.M. Brown
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD UK
| | - Uri Manor
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Walter Marcotti
- School of Bioscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION More than 5% of the world's population have a disabling hearing loss which can be managed by hearing aids or implanted electrical devices. However, outcomes are highly variable, and the sound perceived by recipients is far from perfect. Sparked by the discovery of progenitor cells in the cochlea and rapid progress in drug delivery to the cochlea, biological and pharmaceutical therapies are currently in development to improve the function of the cochlear implant or eliminate the need for it altogether. AREAS COVERED This review highlights progress in emerging regenerative strategies to restore hearing and adjunct therapies to augment the cochlear implant. Novel approaches include the reprogramming of progenitor cells to restore the sensory hair cell population in the cochlea, gene therapy and gene editing to treat hereditary and acquired hearing loss. A detailed review of optogenetics is also presented as a technique that could enable optical stimulation of the spiral ganglion neurons, replacing or complementing electrical stimulation. EXPERT OPINION Increasing evidence of substantial reversal of hearing loss in animal models, alongside rapid advances in delivery strategies to the cochlea and learnings from clinical trials will amalgamate into a biological or pharmaceutical therapy to replace or complement the cochlear implant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Ajay
- Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Department of Engineering
| | | | - Rachael Richardson
- Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Medical Bionics Department, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Choice of vector and surgical approach enables efficient cochlear gene transfer in nonhuman primate. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1359. [PMID: 35292639 PMCID: PMC8924271 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28969-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inner ear gene therapy using adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV) promises to alleviate hearing and balance disorders. We previously established the benefits of Anc80L65 in targeting inner and outer hair cells in newborn mice. To accelerate translation to humans, we now report the feasibility and efficiency of the surgical approach and vector delivery in a nonhuman primate model. Five rhesus macaques were injected with AAV1 or Anc80L65 expressing eGFP using a transmastoid posterior tympanotomy approach to access the round window membrane after making a small fenestra in the oval window. The procedure was well tolerated. All but one animal showed cochlear eGFP expression 7–14 days following injection. Anc80L65 in 2 animals transduced up to 90% of apical inner hair cells; AAV1 was markedly less efficient at equal dose. Transduction for both vectors declined from apex to base. These data motivate future translational studies to evaluate gene therapy for human hearing disorders. Gene therapy using Adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV) rescues hearing and balance deficits in mouse models of human disorders. Here, the authors show that AAVAnc80L65 allows efficient cochlear gene transfer in nonhuman primates, and motivate future studies to evaluate gene therapy for hearing and balance disorders.
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7
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Lin Q, Guo Q, Zhu M, Zhang J, Chen B, Wu T, Jiang W, Tang W. Application of Nanomedicine in Inner Ear Diseases. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 9:809443. [PMID: 35223817 PMCID: PMC8873591 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.809443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The treatment of inner ear disorders always remains a challenge for researchers. The presence of various physiological barriers, primarily the blood–labyrinth barrier (BLB), limits the accessibility of the inner ear and hinders the efficacy of various drug therapies. Yet despite recent advances in the cochlea for repair and regeneration, there are currently no pharmacological or biological interventions for hearing loss. Current research focuses on the localized drug-, gene-, and cell-based therapies. Drug delivery based on nanotechnology represents an innovative strategy to improve inner ear treatments. Materials with specific nanostructures not only exhibit a unique ability to encapsulate and transport therapeutics to the inner ear but also endow specific targeting properties to auditory hair cells as well as the stabilization and sustained drug release. Along with this, some alternative routes, like intratympanic drug delivery, can also offer a better means to access the inner ear without exposure to the BLB. This review discusses a variety of nano-based drug delivery systems to the ear for treating inner ear diseases. The main factors affecting the curative efficacy of nanomaterials are also discussed. With a deeper understanding of the link between these crucial factors and the clinical effect of nanomaterials, it paves the way for the optimization of the therapeutic activity of nanocarriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyu Lin
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Application Center for Precision Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qiong Guo
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Application Center for Precision Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Mingchao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Juanli Zhang
- Henan Institute of Medical Device Inspection, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bei Chen
- Department of Otology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Tingting Wu
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Application Center for Precision Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Application Center for Precision Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Jiang, ; Wenxue Tang,
| | - Wenxue Tang
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Application Center for Precision Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Center for Precision Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Wei Jiang, ; Wenxue Tang,
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8
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Zhang L, Chen S, Sun Y. Mechanism and Prevention of Spiral Ganglion Neuron Degeneration in the Cochlea. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:814891. [PMID: 35069120 PMCID: PMC8766678 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.814891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the most prevalent sensory deficits in humans, and approximately 360 million people worldwide are affected. The current treatment option for severe to profound hearing loss is cochlear implantation (CI), but its treatment efficacy is related to the survival of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). SGNs are the primary sensory neurons, transmitting complex acoustic information from hair cells to second-order sensory neurons in the cochlear nucleus. In mammals, SGNs have very limited regeneration ability, and SGN loss causes irreversible hearing loss. In most cases of SNHL, SGN damage is the dominant pathogenesis, and it could be caused by noise exposure, ototoxic drugs, hereditary defects, presbycusis, etc. Tremendous efforts have been made to identify novel treatments to prevent or reverse the damage to SGNs, including gene therapy and stem cell therapy. This review summarizes the major causes and the corresponding mechanisms of SGN loss and the current protection strategies, especially gene therapy and stem cell therapy, to promote the development of new therapeutic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Sen Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Yu Sun,
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Abstract
Congenital hearing loss is the most common birth defect, estimated to affect 2-3 in every 1000 births. Currently there is no cure for hearing loss. Treatment options are limited to hearing aids for mild and moderate cases, and cochlear implants for severe and profound hearing loss. Here we provide a literature overview of the environmental and genetic causes of congenital hearing loss, common animal models and methods used for hearing research, as well as recent advances towards developing therapies to treat congenital deafness. © 2021 The Authors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine M Renauld
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Martin L Basch
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.,Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio
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10
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de Joya EM, Colbert BM, Tang PC, Lam BL, Yang J, Blanton SH, Dykxhoorn DM, Liu X. Usher Syndrome in the Inner Ear: Etiologies and Advances in Gene Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3910. [PMID: 33920085 PMCID: PMC8068832 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder with ~466 million people worldwide affected, representing about 5% of the population. A substantial portion of hearing loss is genetic. Hearing loss can either be non-syndromic, if hearing loss is the only clinical manifestation, or syndromic, if the hearing loss is accompanied by a collage of other clinical manifestations. Usher syndrome is a syndromic form of genetic hearing loss that is accompanied by impaired vision associated with retinitis pigmentosa and, in many cases, vestibular dysfunction. It is the most common cause of deaf-blindness. Currently cochlear implantation or hearing aids are the only treatments for Usher-related hearing loss. However, gene therapy has shown promise in treating Usher-related retinitis pigmentosa. Here we review how the etiologies of Usher-related hearing loss make it a good candidate for gene therapy and discuss how various forms of gene therapy could be applied to Usher-related hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan M. de Joya
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.M.J.); (B.M.C.); (P.-C.T.); (S.H.B.)
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
| | - Brett M. Colbert
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.M.J.); (B.M.C.); (P.-C.T.); (S.H.B.)
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Pei-Ciao Tang
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.M.J.); (B.M.C.); (P.-C.T.); (S.H.B.)
| | - Byron L. Lam
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
| | - Jun Yang
- John A. Moran Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA;
| | - Susan H. Blanton
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.M.J.); (B.M.C.); (P.-C.T.); (S.H.B.)
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
| | - Derek M. Dykxhoorn
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
| | - Xuezhong Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.M.J.); (B.M.C.); (P.-C.T.); (S.H.B.)
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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11
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Bankoti K, Generotti C, Hwa T, Wang L, O'Malley BW, Li D. Advances and challenges in adeno-associated viral inner-ear gene therapy for sensorineural hearing loss. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 21:209-236. [PMID: 33850952 PMCID: PMC8010215 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
There is growing attention and effort focused on treating the root cause of sensorineural hearing loss rather than managing associated secondary characteristic features. With recent substantial advances in understanding sensorineural hearing-loss mechanisms, gene delivery has emerged as a promising strategy for the biological treatment of hearing loss associated with genetic dysfunction. There are several successful and promising proof-of-principle examples of transgene deliveries in animal models; however, there remains substantial further progress to be made in these avenues before realizing their clinical application in humans. Herein, we review different aspects of development, ongoing preclinical studies, and challenges to the clinical transition of transgene delivery of the inner ear toward the restoration of lost auditory and vestibular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamakshi Bankoti
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Charles Generotti
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tiffany Hwa
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lili Wang
- Department of Medicine, Gene Therapy Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Bert W O'Malley
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Daqing Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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12
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Ding N, Lee S, Lieber-Kotz M, Yang J, Gao X. Advances in genome editing for genetic hearing loss. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 168:118-133. [PMID: 32387678 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization, hearing loss affects over 466 million people worldwide and is the most common human sensory impairment. It is estimated that genetic factors contribute to the causation of approximately 50% of congenital hearing loss. Yet, curative approaches to reversing or preventing genetic hearing impairment are still limited. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) systems enable programmable and targeted gene editing in highly versatile manners and offer new gene therapy strategies for genetic hearing loss. Here, we summarize the most common deafness-associated genes, illustrate recent strategies undertaken by using CRISPR-Cas9 systems for targeted gene editing and further compare the CRISPR strategies to non-CRISPR gene therapies. We also examine the merits of different vehicles and delivery forms of genome editing agents. Lastly, we describe the development of animal models that could facilitate the eventual clinical applications of the CRISPR technology to the treatment of genetic hearing diseases.
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Morgan M, Schott JW, Rossi A, Landgraf C, Warnecke A, Staecker H, Lesinski-Schiedat A, Schlegelberger B, Büning H, Auber B, Schambach A. Gene therapy as a possible option to treat hereditary hearing loss. MED GENET-BERLIN 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/medgen-2020-2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The process of hearing involves a series of events. The energy of sound is captured by the outer ear and further transferred through the external auditory canal to the middle ear. In the middle ear, sound waves are converted into movements of the tympanic membrane and the ossicles, thereby amplifying the pressure so that it is sufficient to cause movement of the cochlear fluid. The traveling wave within the cochlea leads to depolarization of the inner ear hair cells that, in turn, release the neurotransmitter glutamate. Thereby, the spiral ganglion neurons are activated to transfer the signals via the auditory pathway to the primary auditory cortex. This complex combination of mechanosensory and physiological mechanisms involves many distinct types of cells, the function of which are impacted by numerous proteins, including those involved in ion channel activity, signal transduction and transcription. In the last 30 years, pathogenic variants in over 150 genes were found to be linked to hearing loss. Hearing loss affects over 460 million people world-wide, and current treatment approaches, such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, serve to improve hearing capacity but do not address the underlying genetic cause of hearing loss. Therefore, therapeutic strategies designed to correct the genetic defects causative for hearing loss offer the possibility to treat these patients. In this review, we will discuss genetic causes of hearing loss, novel gene therapeutic strategies to correct hearing loss due to gene defects and some of the preclinical studies in hearing loss animal models as well as the clinical translation of gene therapy approaches to treat hearing loss patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | - Juliane W. Schott
- Institute of Experimental Hematology , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | - Axel Rossi
- Institute of Experimental Hematology , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | - Christian Landgraf
- Department of Human Genetics , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | - Athanasia Warnecke
- Department of Otolaryngology , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
- Hearing4all Cluster of Excellence , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | - Hinrich Staecker
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery , University of Kansas School of Medicine , Kansas City , USA
| | - Anke Lesinski-Schiedat
- Department of Otolaryngology , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
- Hearing4all Cluster of Excellence , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | | | - Hildegard Büning
- Institute of Experimental Hematology , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) , partner site Hannover-Braunschweig , Braunschweig , Germany
| | - Bernd Auber
- Department of Human Genetics , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology , Hannover Medical School , Carl-Neuberg-Str.1 , Hannover , Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine , Hannover Medical School , Hannover , Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
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14
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Askew C, Chien WW. Adeno-associated virus gene replacement for recessive inner ear dysfunction: Progress and challenges. Hear Res 2020; 394:107947. [PMID: 32247629 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.107947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 3 in 1000 children in the US under 4 years of age are affected by hearing loss. Currently, cochlear implants represent the only line of treatment for patients with severe to profound hearing loss, and there are no targeted drug or biological based therapies available. Gene replacement is a promising therapeutic approach for hereditary hearing loss, where viral vectors are used to deliver functional cDNA to "replace" defective genes in dysfunctional cells in the inner ear. Proof-of-concept studies have successfully used this approach to improve auditory function in mouse models of hereditary hearing loss, and human clinical trials are on the immediate horizon. The success of this method is ultimately determined by the underlying biology of the defective gene and design of the treatment strategy, relying on intervention before degeneration of the sensory structures occurs. A challenge will be the delivery of a corrective gene to the proper target within the therapeutic window of opportunity, which may be unique for each specific defective gene. Although rescue of pre-lingual forms of recessive deafness have been explored in animal models thus far, future identification of genes with post-lingual onset that are amenable to gene replacement holds even greater promise for treatment, since the therapeutic window is likely open for a much longer period of time. This review summarizes the current state of adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene replacement therapy for recessive hereditary hearing loss and discusses potential challenges and opportunities for translating inner ear gene replacement therapy for patients with hereditary hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Askew
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Wade W Chien
- Inner Ear Gene Therapy Program, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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15
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Valentini C, Szeto B, Kysar JW, Lalwani AK. Inner Ear Gene Delivery: Vectors and Routes. HEARING BALANCE AND COMMUNICATION 2020; 18:278-285. [PMID: 33604229 DOI: 10.1080/21695717.2020.1807261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Current treatments for hearing loss offer some functional improvements in hearing, but do not restore normal hearing. The aim of this review is to highlight recent advances in viral and non-viral vectors for gene therapy and to discuss approaches for overcoming barriers inherent to inner ear delivery of gene products. Data Sources The databases used were Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Search terms were [("cochlea*" or "inner ear" or "transtympanic" or "intratympanic" or "intracochlear" or "hair cells" or "spiral ganglia" or "Organ of Corti") and ("gene therapy" or "gene delivery")]. The references section of resulting articles was also used to identify relevant studies. Results Both viral and non-viral vectors play important roles in advancing gene delivery to the inner ear. The round window membrane is one significant barrier to gene delivery that intratympanic delivery methods attempt to overcome through diffusion and intracochlear delivery methods bypass completely. Conclusions Gene therapy for hearing loss is a promising treatment for restoring hearing function by addressing innate defects. Recent technological advances in inner ear drug delivery techniques pose exciting opportunities for progress in gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Valentini
- Department of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY
| | - Betsy Szeto
- Department of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY
| | - Jeffrey W Kysar
- Department of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Anil K Lalwani
- Department of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York
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16
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Inner Ear Gene Therapies Take Off: Current Promises and Future Challenges. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9072309. [PMID: 32708116 PMCID: PMC7408650 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9072309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hearing impairment is the most frequent sensory deficit in humans of all age groups, from children (1/500) to the elderly (more than 50% of the over-75 s). Over 50% of congenital deafness are hereditary in nature. The other major causes of deafness, which also may have genetic predisposition, are aging, acoustic trauma, ototoxic drugs such as aminoglycosides, and noise exposure. Over the last two decades, the study of inherited deafness forms and related animal models has been instrumental in deciphering the molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms of disease. However, there is still no curative treatment for sensorineural deafness. Hearing loss is currently palliated by rehabilitation methods: conventional hearing aids, and for more severe forms, cochlear implants. Efforts are continuing to improve these devices to help users to understand speech in noisy environments and to appreciate music. However, neither approach can mediate a full recovery of hearing sensitivity and/or restoration of the native inner ear sensory epithelia. New therapeutic approaches based on gene transfer and gene editing tools are being developed in animal models. In this review, we focus on the successful restoration of auditory and vestibular functions in certain inner ear conditions, paving the way for future clinical applications.
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17
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Hu CJ, Lu YC, Tsai YH, Cheng HY, Takeda H, Huang CY, Xiao R, Hsu CJ, Tsai JW, Vandenberghe LH, Wu CC, Cheng YF. Efficient in Utero Gene Transfer to the Mammalian Inner Ears by the Synthetic Adeno-Associated Viral Vector Anc80L65. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 18:493-500. [PMID: 32775487 PMCID: PMC7390729 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Sensorineural hearing loss is one of the most common sensory disorders worldwide. Recent advances in vector design have paved the way for investigations into the use of adeno-associated vectors (AAVs) for hearing disorder gene therapy. Numerous AAV serotypes have been discovered to be applicable to inner ears, constituting a key advance for gene therapy for sensorineural hearing loss, where transduction efficiency of AAV in inner ear cells is critical for success. One such viral vector, AAV2/Anc80L65, has been shown to yield high expression in the inner ears of mice treated as neonates or adults. Here, to evaluate the feasibility of prenatal gene therapy for deafness, we assessed the transduction efficiency of AAV2/Anc80L65-eGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) after microinjection into otocysts in utero. This embryonic delivery method achieved high transduction efficiency in both inner and outer hair cells of the cochlea. Additionally, the transduction efficiency was high in the hair cells of the vestibules and semicircular canals and in spiral ganglion neurons. Our results support the potential of Anc80L65 as a gene therapy vehicle for prenatal inner ear disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Ju Hu
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Chang Lu
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsiu Tsai
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Haw-Yuan Cheng
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hiroki Takeda
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kumamoto City, Japan
| | - Chun-Ying Huang
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ru Xiao
- Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center, Schepens Eye Research Institute and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA.,Ocular Genomics Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chuan-Jen Hsu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jin-Wu Tsai
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Luk H Vandenberghe
- Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center, Schepens Eye Research Institute and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA.,Ocular Genomics Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chen-Chi Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital Biomedical Park Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Fu Cheng
- Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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18
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Zhao X, Jin C, Dong T, Sun Z, Zheng X, Feng B, Cheng Z, Li X, Tao Y, Wu H. Characterization of promoters for adeno-associated virus mediated efficient Cas9 activation in adult Cas9 knock-in murine cochleae. Hear Res 2020; 394:107999. [PMID: 32611519 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.107999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing enables the treatment of hearing loss in congenitally deaf neonatal mice via both viral and non-viral delivery. While adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene delivery systems have been shown to be effective tools for gene replacement in the inner ear, application of the AAV-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing approach for this purpose is yet to be documented. Based on our previous findings, we focused on the effects of several AAVs delivered via canalostomy injection in adult mice. Among the AAVs examined, AAV8 showed the greatest efficiency and specificity in transducing inner hair cells (IHC). The ability of Cre-expressing AAV8 to activate Cas9 in floxed-Cas9 knock-in (Cas9 KI) mice was further evaluated. We compared the effects of six different promoters (CMV, CAG, hSyn, CaMKIIa, GFAP, and ALB) of AAV8 delivered to the inner ear of adult Cas9 KI mice. Our findings showed that three AAV groups (CMV, CAG and hSyn promoters) infected the inner ear efficiently with different tropisms. Notably, AAVs with CMV, CAG, and hSyn promoters infected diverse cell types in mature murine cochleae, including IHCs. In particular, AAV8-hSyn showed high affinity to IHCs and spiral ganglion neurons (SGN). Neither the AAV8 virus itself (except AAV8-CAG) nor the surgical procedures used caused damage to HCs or impaired normal hearing. Our findings indicated that injection of AAV-Cre into mature inner ear efficiently induces Cas9 activation to achieve safe and efficient gene editing and different constituent promoters confer diverse infection patterns in cochlea, expanding the repertoire of gene-editing tools for regulating gene expression in target cells of the inner ear as part of the collective effort to rescue genetic hearing loss and develop effective gene therapy techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingle Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Chenxi Jin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Tingting Dong
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Biobank of Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Zhuoer Sun
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Xiaofei Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Baoyi Feng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Zhenzhe Cheng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Yong Tao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.639, Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translation Medicine on Ear and Nose Disease, No.115, Jinzun Road, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.
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19
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Kleinlogel S, Vogl C, Jeschke M, Neef J, Moser T. Emerging approaches for restoration of hearing and vision. Physiol Rev 2020; 100:1467-1525. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00035.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Impairments of vision and hearing are highly prevalent conditions limiting the quality of life and presenting a major socioeconomic burden. For long, retinal and cochlear disorders have remained intractable for causal therapies, with sensory rehabilitation limited to glasses, hearing aids, and electrical cochlear or retinal implants. Recently, the application of gene therapy and optogenetics to eye and ear has generated hope for a fundamental improvement of vision and hearing restoration. To date, one gene therapy for the restoration of vision has been approved and undergoing clinical trials will broaden its application including gene replacement, genome editing, and regenerative approaches. Moreover, optogenetics, i.e. controlling the activity of cells by light, offers a more general alternative strategy. Over little more than a decade, optogenetic approaches have been developed and applied to better understand the function of biological systems, while protein engineers have identified and designed new opsin variants with desired physiological features. Considering potential clinical applications of optogenetics, the spotlight is on the sensory systems. Multiple efforts have been undertaken to restore lost or hampered function in eye and ear. Optogenetic stimulation promises to overcome fundamental shortcomings of electrical stimulation, namely poor spatial resolution and cellular specificity, and accordingly to deliver more detailed sensory information. This review aims at providing a comprehensive reference on current gene therapeutic and optogenetic research relevant to the restoration of hearing and vision. We will introduce gene-therapeutic approaches and discuss the biotechnological and optoelectronic aspects of optogenetic hearing and vision restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Tobias Moser
- Institute for Auditory Neuroscience, University Medical Center Goettingen, Germany
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20
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Géléoc GGS, El-Amraoui A. Disease mechanisms and gene therapy for Usher syndrome. Hear Res 2020; 394:107932. [PMID: 32199721 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.107932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Usher syndrome (USH) is a major cause of deaf-blindness in humans, affecting ∼400 000 patients worldwide. Three clinical subtypes, USH1-3, have been defined, with 10 USH genes identified so far. In recent years, in addition to identification of new Usher genes and diagnostic tools, major progress has been made in understanding the role of Usher proteins and how they cooperate through interaction networks to ensure proper development, architecture and function of the stereociliary bundle at the apex of sensory hair cells in the inner ear. Several Usher mouse models of known human Usher genes have been characterized. These mice faithfully reproduce the auditory phenotype associated with Usher syndrome and the vestibular phenotype associated with some mutations in USH genes, particularly USH1. Interestingly, very few mouse models of Usher syndrome recapitulate the retinal phenotype associated with the disease in human. Usher patients can benefit from hearing aids or cochlear implants, which partially alleviate auditory sensory deprivation. However, there are currently no biological treatments available for auditory or visual dysfunction in Usher patients. Development of novel therapies for Usher syndrome has sprouted over the past decade, building on recent progress in gene transfer and new gene editing tools. Promising success demonstrating recovery of hearing and balance functions have been obtained via distinct therapeutic strategies in animal models. Clinical translation to Usher patients, however, calls for further improvements and concerted efforts to overcome the challenges ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwenaelle G S Géléoc
- Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3, Blackfan circle, Center for Life Science, 03001, Boston, MA, 02115, United States.
| | - Aziz El-Amraoui
- Unit Progressive Sensory Disorders, Institut Pasteur, INSERM-UMRS1120, Sorbonne Université, 25 rue du Dr. Roux, 75015, Paris, France.
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21
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Adeno-associated virus vector enables safe and efficient Cas9 activation in neonatal and adult Cas9 knockin murine cochleae. Gene Ther 2020; 27:392-405. [PMID: 32005950 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-020-0124-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene delivery systems have been shown to be effective tools for gene manipulation in the inner ear. For example, hair cells (HCs) and multiple other cell types can be transduced by the local injection of AAVs into the inner ear. However, application of the AAV-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing approach to the inner ear in adult mice has not yet been studied. Based on our previous work, we investigated several AAV serotypes in neonatal and adult mice in parallel, and found that AAV8 had the top efficiency to transduce inner HCs. We then tested the ability of Cre-expressing AAV8 to activate Cas9 in floxed-Cas9 knockin mice, and observed significant Cas9 activation in the inner ear of both neonatal and adult animals. Neither the AAV8 virus itself nor the surgical procedures used to deliver it-cochleostomy for neonatal mice and canalostomy for adult mice-caused any damage to HCs or impaired normal hearing. Our studies indicate that the local injection of AAV8-Cre can induce Cas9 activation to perform safe and efficient gene editing in the inner ear, expanding the repertoire of gene-editing tools for regulating gene expression in the inner ear as a part of efforts to rescue genetic hearing loss, initiate regeneration of HCs, or develop gene therapy techniques.
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22
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Büning H, Schambach A, Morgan M, Rossi A, Wichova H, Staecker H, Warnecke A, Lenarz T. Challenges and advances in translating gene therapy for hearing disorders. EXPERT REVIEW OF PRECISION MEDICINE AND DRUG DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/23808993.2020.1707077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hildegard Büning
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Rossi
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Helena Wichova
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, USA
| | - Hinrich Staecker
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, USA
| | - Athanasia Warnecke
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Hearing4all Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Lenarz
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Hearing4all Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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23
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Prenatal electroporation-mediated gene transfer restores Slc26a4 knock-out mouse hearing and vestibular function. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17979. [PMID: 31784581 PMCID: PMC6884448 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54262-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The otocyst, an anlage of the inner ear, presents an attractive target to study treatment strategies for genetic hearing loss and inner ear development. We have previously reported that electroporation-mediated transuterine gene transfer of Connexin30, utilizing a monophasic pulse into Connexin30−/− mouse otocysts at embryonic day 11.5, is able to prevent putative hearing deterioration. However, it is not clear whether supplementary gene transfer can rescue significant morphological changes, caused by genetic deficits. In addition, with the transuterine gene transfer technique utilized in our previous report, the survival rate of embryos and their mothers after treatment was low, which became a serious obstacle for effective in vivo experiments. Here, we set out to elucidate the feasibility of supplementation therapy in Slc26a4 deficient mice, utilizing biphasic pulses, optimized by modifying pulse conditions. Modification of the biphasic pulse conditions during electroporation increased the survival rate. In addition, supplementation of the target gene cDNA into the otocysts of homozygous Slc24a4 knockout mice significantly prevented enlargement of the endolymphatic space in the inner ear areas; moreover, it rescued hearing and vestibular function of mice in vivo.
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24
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Taiber S, Avraham KB. Genetic Therapies for Hearing Loss: Accomplishments and Remaining Challenges. Neurosci Lett 2019; 713:134527. [PMID: 31586696 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
More than 15 years have passed since the official completion of the Human Genome Project. Predominantly due to this project, over one hundred genes have now been linked to hearing loss. Although major advancements have been made in the understanding of underlying pathologies in deafness as a consequence of these gene discoveries, biological treatments for these conditions are still not available and current treatments rely on amplification or prosthetics. A promising approach for developing treatments for genetic hearing loss is the most simplistic one, that of gene therapy. Gene therapy would intuitively be ideal for these conditions since it is directed at the very source of the problem. Recent achievements in this field in laboratory models spike hope and optimism among scientists, patients, and industry, and suggest that this approach can mature into clinical trials in the coming years. Here we review the existing literature and discuss the different aspects of developing gene therapy for genetic hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahar Taiber
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Karen B Avraham
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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25
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Omichi R, Shibata SB, Morton CC, Smith RJH. Gene therapy for hearing loss. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:R65-R79. [PMID: 31227837 PMCID: PMC6796998 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is the most common sensory disorder. Its underlying etiologies include a broad spectrum of genetic and environmental factors that can lead to hearing loss that is congenital or late onset, stable or progressive, drug related, noise induced, age related, traumatic or post-infectious. Habilitation options typically focus on amplification using wearable or implantable devices; however exciting new gene-therapy-based strategies to restore and prevent SNHL are actively under investigation. Recent proof-of-principle studies demonstrate the potential therapeutic potential of molecular agents delivered to the inner ear to ameliorate different types of SNHL. Correcting or preventing underlying genetic forms of hearing loss is poised to become a reality. Herein, we review molecular therapies for hearing loss such as gene replacement, antisense oligonucleotides, RNA interference and CRISPR-based gene editing. We discuss delivery methods, techniques and viral vectors employed for inner ear gene therapy and the advancements in this field that are paving the way for basic science research discoveries to transition to clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryotaro Omichi
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Seiji B Shibata
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Cynthia C Morton
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M139NT, UK
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Richard J H Smith
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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26
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Al-Moyed H, Cepeda AP, Jung S, Moser T, Kügler S, Reisinger E. A dual-AAV approach restores fast exocytosis and partially rescues auditory function in deaf otoferlin knock-out mice. EMBO Mol Med 2019; 11:emmm.201809396. [PMID: 30509897 PMCID: PMC6328916 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201809396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Normal hearing and synaptic transmission at afferent auditory inner hair cell (IHC) synapses require otoferlin. Deafness DFNB9, caused by mutations in the OTOF gene encoding otoferlin, might be treated by transferring wild‐type otoferlin cDNA into IHCs, which is difficult due to the large size of this transgene. In this study, we generated two adeno‐associated viruses (AAVs), each containing half of the otoferlin cDNA. Co‐injecting these dual‐AAV2/6 half‐vectors into the cochleae of 6‐ to 7‐day‐old otoferlin knock‐out (Otof−/−) mice led to the expression of full‐length otoferlin in up to 50% of IHCs. In the cochlea, otoferlin was selectively expressed in auditory hair cells. Dual‐AAV transduction of Otof−/−IHCs fully restored fast exocytosis, while otoferlin‐dependent vesicle replenishment reached 35–50% of wild‐type levels. The loss of 40% of synaptic ribbons in these IHCs could not be prevented, indicating a role of otoferlin in early synapse maturation. Acoustic clicks evoked auditory brainstem responses with thresholds of 40–60 dB. Therefore, we propose that gene delivery mediated by dual‐AAV vectors might be suitable to treat deafness forms caused by mutations in large genes such as OTOF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanan Al-Moyed
- Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Göttingen, and Collaborative Research Center 889, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreia P Cepeda
- Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Göttingen, and Collaborative Research Center 889, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - SangYong Jung
- Institute for Auditory Neurosciences and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Moser
- Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Institute for Auditory Neurosciences and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Synaptic Nanophysiology Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kügler
- Center Nanoscale Microscopy and Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ellen Reisinger
- Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Göttingen, and Collaborative Research Center 889, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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27
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Gu X, Chai R, Guo L, Dong B, Li W, Shu Y, Huang X, Li H. Transduction of Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors Targeting Hair Cells and Supporting Cells in the Neonatal Mouse Cochlea. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:8. [PMID: 30733670 PMCID: PMC6353798 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is the preferred vector for gene therapy of hereditary deafness, and different viral serotypes, promoters and transduction pathways can influence the targeting of AAV to different types of cells and the expression levels of numerous exogenous genes. To determine the transduction and expression patterns of AAV with different serotypes or promoters in hair cells and supporting cells in the neonatal mouse cochlea, we examined the expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) for five different types of AAV vectors [serotypes 2, 9, and Anc80L65 with promoter cytomegalovirus (CMV)-beta-Globin and serotypes 2 and 9 with promoter chicken beta-actin (CBA)] in in vitro cochlear explant cultures and we tested the transduction of AAV2/2-CBA, AAV2/9-CBA, and AAV2/Anc80L65-CMV by in vivo microinjection into the scala media of the cochlea. We found that each AAV vector had its own transduction and expression characteristics in hair cells and supporting cells in different regions of the cochlea. There was a tonotopic gradient for the in vitro transduction of AAV2/2-CBA, AAV2/9-CBA, AAV2/2-CMV, and AAV2/9-CMV in outer hair cells (OHCs), with more OHCs expressing eGFP at the base of the cochlea than at the apex. AAV2/2-CBA in vitro and AAV2/Anc80L65-CMV in vivo induced more supporting cells expressing eGFP at the apex than in the base. We found that AAV vectors with different promoters had different expression efficacies in hair cells and supporting cells of the auditory epithelium. The CMV-beta-Globin promoter could drive the expression of the delivered construct more efficiently in hair cells, while the CBA promoter was more efficient in supporting cells. The in vitro and in vivo experiments both demonstrated that AAV2/Anc80L65-CMV was a very promising vector for gene therapy of deafness because of its high transduction rates in hair cells. These results might be useful for selecting the appropriate vectors for gene delivery into different types of inner ear cells and thus improving the effectiveness of gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Gu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Renjie Chai
- Key Laboratory for Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Sciences, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Luo Guo
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Biao Dong
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenyan Li
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yilai Shu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinsheng Huang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huawei Li
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Cochlear Implant, Shanghai, China.,The Institutes of Brain Science and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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28
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Atkinson PJ, Kim GS, Cheng AG. Direct cellular reprogramming and inner ear regeneration. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2019; 19:129-139. [PMID: 30584811 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2019.1564035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sound is integral to communication and connects us to the world through speech and music. Cochlear hair cells are essential for converting sounds into neural impulses. However, these cells are highly susceptible to damage from an array of factors, resulting in degeneration and ultimately irreversible hearing loss in humans. Since the discovery of hair cell regeneration in birds, there have been tremendous efforts to identify therapies that could promote hair cell regeneration in mammals. AREAS COVERED Here, we will review recent studies describing spontaneous hair cell regeneration and direct cellular reprograming as well as other factors that mediate mammalian hair cell regeneration. EXPERT OPINION Numerous combinatorial approaches have successfully reprogrammed non-sensory supporting cells to form hair cells, albeit with limited efficacy and maturation. Studies on epigenetic regulation and transcriptional network of hair cell progenitors may accelerate discovery of more promising reprogramming regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J Atkinson
- a Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery , Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford , CA , USA
| | - Grace S Kim
- a Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery , Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford , CA , USA
| | - Alan G Cheng
- a Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery , Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford , CA , USA
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29
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Abstract
Sensorineural hearing impairment is the most common sensory disorder and a major health and socio-economic issue in industrialized countries. It is primarily due to the degeneration of mechanosensory hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea via complex pathophysiological mechanisms. These occur following acute and/or chronic exposure to harmful extrinsic (e.g., ototoxic drugs, noise...) and intrinsic (e.g., aging, genetic) causative factors. No clinical therapies currently exist to rescue the dying sensorineural cells or regenerate these cells once lost. Recent studies have, however, provided renewed hope, with insights into the therapeutic targets allowing the prevention and treatment of ototoxic drug- and noise-induced, age-related hearing loss as well as cochlear cell degeneration. Moreover, genetic routes involving the replacement or corrective editing of mutant sequences or defected genes are showing promise, as are cell-replacement therapies to repair damaged cells for the future restoration of hearing in deaf people. This review begins by recapitulating our current understanding of the molecular pathways that underlie cochlear sensorineural damage, as well as the survival signaling pathways that can provide endogenous protection and tissue rescue. It then guides the reader through to the recent discoveries in pharmacological, gene and cell therapy research towards hearing protection and restoration as well as their potential clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- INSERM UMR 1051, Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Luc Puel
- INSERM UMR 1051, Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; and University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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30
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Sato M, Ohtsuka M, Nakamura S, Sakurai T, Watanabe S, Gurumurthy CB. In vivo genome editing targeted towards the female reproductive system. Arch Pharm Res 2018; 41:898-910. [PMID: 29974342 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-018-1053-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of sequence specific nucleases such as ZFNs, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9 has revolutionized genome editing. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has particularly emerged as a highly simple and efficient approach towards generating genome-edited animal models of most of the experimental species. The limitation of these novel genome editing tools is that, till date, they depend on traditional pronuclear injection (PI)-based transgenic technologies developed over the last three decades. PI requires expensive micromanipulator systems and the equipment operators must possess a high level of skill. Therefore, since the establishment of PI-based transgenesis, various research groups worldwide have attempted to develop alternative and simple gene delivery methods. However, owing to the failure of chromosomal integration of the transgene, none of these methods gained the level of confidence as that by the PI method in order to be adapted as a routine approach. The recently developed genome editing systems do not require complicated techniques. Therefore, presently, attention is being focused on non-PI-based gene delivery into germ cells for simple and rapid production of genetically engineered animals. For example, a few reports during the previous 1-2 years demonstrated the use of electroporation (EP) in isolated zygotes that helped to overcome the absolute dependency on PI techniques. Recently, another breakthrough technology called genome editing via oviductal nucleic acids delivery (GONAD) that directly delivers nucleic acids into zygotes within the oviducts in situ was developed. This technology completely relieves the bottlenecks of animal transgenesis as it does not require PI and ex vivo handling of embryos. This review discusses in detail the in vivo gene delivery methods targeted towards female reproductive tissues as these methods that have been developed over the past 2-3 decades can now be re-evaluated for their suitability to deliver the CRISPR/Cas9 components to produce transgenic animals. This review also provides an overview of the latest advances in CRISPR-enabled delivery technologies that have caused paradigm shifts in animal transgenesis methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Sato
- Section of Gene Expression Regulation, Frontier Science Research Center, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, 890-8544, Japan.
| | - Masato Ohtsuka
- Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan.,Center for Matrix Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokai University, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan.,The Institute of Medical Sciences, Tokai University, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan
| | - Shingo Nakamura
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Saitama, 359-8513, Japan
| | - Takayuki Sakurai
- Department of Cardiovascular Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Shinshu University, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan.,Basic Research Division for Next-Generation Disease Models and Fundamental Technology, Research Center for Next Generation Medicine, Shinshu University, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan
| | - Satoshi Watanabe
- Animal Genome Research Unit, Division of Animal Science, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Ibaraki, 305-8602, Japan
| | - Channabasavaiah B Gurumurthy
- Mouse Genome Engineering Core Facility, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.,Developmental Neuroscience, Munro Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
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31
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Abstract
Drug delivery to the inner ear is an ideal method to treat a wide variety of otologic conditions. A broad range of potential applications is just beginning to be explored. New approaches combine principles of inner ear pharmacokinetics with emerging technologies of drug delivery including novel delivery systems, drug-device combinations, and new categories of drugs. Strategies include cell-specific targeting, manipulation of gene expression, local activation following systemic delivery, and use of stem cells, viral vectors, and gene editing systems. Translation of these therapies to the clinic remains challenging given the potential risks of intracochlear and intralabyrinthine trauma, our limited understanding of the etiologies of particular inner ear disorders, and paucity of accurate diagnostic tools at the cellular level. This review provides an overview of future methods, delivery systems, disease targets, and clinical considerations required for translation to clinical medicine.
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32
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Tao Y, Huang M, Shu Y, Ruprecht A, Wang H, Tang Y, Vandenberghe LH, Wang Q, Gao G, Kong WJ, Chen ZY. Delivery of Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors in Adult Mammalian Inner-Ear Cell Subtypes Without Auditory Dysfunction. Hum Gene Ther 2018; 29:492-506. [PMID: 29130354 PMCID: PMC5909114 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss, including genetic hearing loss, is one of the most common forms of sensory deficits in humans with limited options of treatment. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene transfer has been shown to recover auditory functions effectively in mouse models of genetic deafness when delivered at neonatal stages. However, the mouse cochlea is still developing at those time points, whereas in humans, the newborn inner ears are already fully mature. For effective gene therapy to treat genetic deafness, it is necessary to determine whether AAV-mediated therapy can be equally effective in the fully mature mouse inner ear without causing damage to the inner ear. This study tested several AAV serotypes by canalostomy in adult mice. It is shown that most AAVs transduce the sensory inner hair cells efficiently, but are less efficient at transducing outer hair cells. A subset of AAVs also transduces non-sensory cochlear cell types. Neither the surgical procedure of canalostomy nor the AAV serotypes damage hair cells or impair normal hearing. The studies indicate that canalostomy can be a viable route for safe and efficient gene delivery, and they expand the repertoire of AAVs to target diverse cell types in the adult inner ear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Tao
- Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School and Eaton Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingqian Huang
- Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School and Eaton Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yilai Shu
- Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School and Eaton Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Adam Ruprecht
- Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School and Eaton Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hongyang Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School and Eaton Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
- Chinese PLA Institute of Otolaryngology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Tang
- Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School and Eaton Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, People's Hospital of Jilin Province, Changchun, China
| | - Luk H. Vandenberghe
- Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center, Schepens Eye Research Institute and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ocular Genomics Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Qiuju Wang
- Chinese PLA Institute of Otolaryngology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center and Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei-Jia Kong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zheng-Yi Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School and Eaton Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
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33
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Ahmed H, Shubina-Oleinik O, Holt JR. Emerging Gene Therapies for Genetic Hearing Loss. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2017; 18:649-670. [PMID: 28815315 PMCID: PMC5612923 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-017-0634-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy, or the treatment of human disease using genetic material, for inner ear dysfunction is coming of age. Recent progress in developing gene therapy treatments for genetic hearing loss has demonstrated tantalizing proof-of-principle in animal models. While successful translation of this progress into treatments for humans awaits, there is growing interest from patients, scientists, clinicians, and industry. Nonetheless, it is clear that a number of hurdles remain, and expectations for total restoration of auditory function should remain tempered until these challenges have been overcome. Here, we review progress, prospects, and challenges for gene therapy in the inner ear. We focus on technical aspects, including routes of gene delivery to the inner ear, choice of vectors, promoters, inner ear targets, therapeutic strategies, preliminary success stories, and points to consider for translating of these successes to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hena Ahmed
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olga Shubina-Oleinik
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Holt
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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34
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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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35
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Takeda H, Minoda R, Miwa T, Yamada T, Ise M. Transplanting mouse induced pluripotent stem cells into mouse otocysts in vivo. Neurosci Lett 2017; 647:153-158. [PMID: 28359931 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The otocyst is an attractive target for studying treatment strategies for genetic hearing loss and for understanding inner ear development. We have previously reported that trans-uterine supplemental gene therapy in vivo into the otocysts of mice, which had a loss of function mutation in a causative gene of deafness, was able to prevent putative hearing loss. We herein set out to clarify the feasibility of allogenic cell transplantation into the mouse otocysts in vivo. We transplanted naive mouse-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSCs) into the otocysts of wild type mice or connexin (Cx) 30 deficient mice, at embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5). The transplanted m-iPSCs survived in the lumens of the inner ears at E13.5 and E15.5 in wild type mice. In the Cx30 deficient mouse, the transplanted cells survived similarly, with some of the transplanted cells migrating into the lining cells of the lumens of the inner ears at E13.5 and showing tumorigenic cell proliferation at E15.5. In addition, engrafted cells appear to be able to differentiate after the cell transplantation. Our results suggest that otocyst transplanted cells survived and differentiated. A Cx30 deficiency may facilitate cell migration. These findings may offer some hope for cell transplantation therapy for profound genetic hearing loss caused by a Cxs deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Takeda
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kumamoto University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuoku, Kumamoto City 860-0811, Japan
| | - Ryosei Minoda
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kumamoto University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuoku, Kumamoto City 860-0811, Japan.
| | - Toru Miwa
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kumamoto University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuoku, Kumamoto City 860-0811, Japan
| | - Takao Yamada
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kumamoto University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuoku, Kumamoto City 860-0811, Japan
| | - Momoko Ise
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kumamoto University, Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuoku, Kumamoto City 860-0811, Japan
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Gene therapy restores auditory and vestibular function in a mouse model of Usher syndrome type 1c. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:264-272. [PMID: 28165476 PMCID: PMC5340578 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Because there are currently no biological treatments for deafness, we sought to advance gene therapy approaches to treat genetic deafness. We reasoned that gene delivery systems that target auditory and vestibular sensory cells with high efficiency would be required to restore complex auditory and balance function. We focused on Usher Syndrome, a devastating genetic disorder that causes blindness, balance disorders and profound deafness, and used a knock-in mouse model, Ush1c c.216G>A, which carries a cryptic splice site mutation found in French-Acadian patients with Usher Syndrome type IC (USH1C). Following delivery of wild-type Ush1c into the inner ears of neonatal Ush1c c.216G>A mice, we find recovery of gene and protein expression, restoration of sensory cell function, rescue of complex auditory function and recovery of hearing and balance behavior to near wild-type levels. The data represent unprecedented recovery of inner ear function and suggest that biological therapies to treat deafness may be suitable for translation to humans with genetic inner ear disorders.
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Wu T, Ramamoorthy S, Wilson T, Chen F, Porsov E, Subhash H, Foster S, Zhang Y, Omelchenko I, Bateschell M, Wang L, Brigande JV, Jiang ZG, Mao T, Nuttall AL. Optogenetic Control of Mouse Outer Hair Cells. Biophys J 2016; 110:493-502. [PMID: 26789771 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.11.3521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Normal hearing in mammals depends on sound amplification by outer hair cells (OHCs) presumably by their somatic motility and force production. However, the role of OHC force production in cochlear amplification and frequency tuning are not yet fully understood. Currently, available OHC manipulation techniques for physiological or clinical studies are limited by their invasive nature, lack of precision, and poor temporal-spatial resolution. To overcome these limitations, we explored an optogenetic approach based on channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR-2), a direct light-activated nonselective cation channel originally discovered in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Three approaches were compared: 1) adeno-associated virus-mediated in utero transfer of the ChR-2 gene into the developing murine otocyst, 2) expression of ChR-2(H134R) in an auditory cell line (HEI-OC1), and 3) expression of ChR-2 in the OHCs of a mouse line carrying a ChR-2 conditional allele. Whole cell recording showed that blue light (470 nm) elicited the typical nonselective cation current of ChR-2 with reversal potential around zero in both mouse OHCs and HEI-OC1 cells and generated depolarization in both cell types. In addition, pulsed light stimulation (10 Hz) elicited a 1:1 repetitive depolarization and ChR-2 currents in mouse OHCs and HEI-OC1 cells, respectively. The time constant of depolarization in OHCs, 1.45 ms, is 10 times faster than HEI-OC1 cells, which allowed light stimulation up to rates of 10/s to elicit corresponding membrane potential changes. Our study demonstrates that ChR-2 can successfully be expressed in mouse OHCs and HEI-OC1 cells and that these present a typical light-sensitive current and depolarization. However, the amount of ChR-2 current induced in our in vivo experiments was insufficient to result in measurable cochlear effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wu
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Sripriya Ramamoorthy
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Teresa Wilson
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Fangyi Chen
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Edward Porsov
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Hrebesh Subhash
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Sarah Foster
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Irina Omelchenko
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Michael Bateschell
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Lingyan Wang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - John V Brigande
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Zhi-Gen Jiang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Tianyi Mao
- The Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Alfred L Nuttall
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, NRC04, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; Kresge Hearing Research Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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Shu Y, Tao Y, Wang Z, Tang Y, Li H, Dai P, Gao G, Chen ZY. Identification of Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors That Target Neonatal and Adult Mammalian Inner Ear Cell Subtypes. Hum Gene Ther 2016; 27:687-99. [PMID: 27342665 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2016.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian inner ear consists of diverse cell types with important functions. Gene mutations in these diverse cell types have been found to underlie different forms of genetic hearing loss. Targeting these mutations for gene therapy development represents a future therapeutic strategy to treat hearing loss. Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors have become the vector of choice for gene delivery in animal models in vivo. To identify AAV vectors that target inner ear cell subtypes, we systemically screened 12 AAV vectors with different serotypes (AAV1, 2, 5, 6, 6.2, 7, 8, 9, rh.8, rh.10, rh.39, and rh.43) that carry a reporter gene GFP in neonatal and adult mice by microinjection in vivo. We found that most AAVs infect both neonatal and adult inner ear, with different specificities and expression levels. The inner ear cochlear sensory epithelial region, which includes auditory hair cells and supporting cells, is most frequently targeted for gene delivery. Expression of the transgene is sustained, and neonatal inner ear delivery does not adversely affect hearing. Adult inner ear injection of AAV has a similar infection pattern as the younger inner ear, with the exception that outer hair cell death caused by the injection procedure can lead to hearing loss. In the adult, more so than in the neonatal mice, cell types infected and efficiency of infection are correlated with the site of injection. Most infected cells survive in neonatal and adult inner ears. The study adds to the list of AAV vectors that transduce the mammalian inner ear efficiently, providing the tools that are important to study inner ear gene function and for the development of gene therapy to treat hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilai Shu
- 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School and Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts.,2 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China .,3 Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Tao
- 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School and Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zhengmin Wang
- 2 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China .,3 Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Tang
- 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School and Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts.,4 Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, People's Hospital of Jilin Province, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Huawei Li
- 2 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China .,3 Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Shanghai, China
| | - Pu Dai
- 5 Department of Otolaryngology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangping Gao
- 6 Horae Gene Therapy Center and Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,7 State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University , Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zheng-Yi Chen
- 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Harvard Medical School and Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts
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Askew C, Rochat C, Pan B, Asai Y, Ahmed H, Child E, Schneider BL, Aebischer P, Holt JR. Tmc gene therapy restores auditory function in deaf mice. Sci Transl Med 2016; 7:295ra108. [PMID: 26157030 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aab1996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Genetic hearing loss accounts for up to 50% of prelingual deafness worldwide, yet there are no biologic treatments currently available. To investigate gene therapy as a potential biologic strategy for restoration of auditory function in patients with genetic hearing loss, we tested a gene augmentation approach in mouse models of genetic deafness. We focused on DFNB7/11 and DFNA36, which are autosomal recessive and dominant deafnesses, respectively, caused by mutations in transmembrane channel-like 1 (TMC1). Mice that carry targeted deletion of Tmc1 or a dominant Tmc1 point mutation, known as Beethoven, are good models for human DFNB7/11 and DFNA36. We screened several adeno-associated viral (AAV) serotypes and promoters and identified AAV2/1 and the chicken β-actin (Cba) promoter as an efficient combination for driving the expression of exogenous Tmc1 in inner hair cells in vivo. Exogenous Tmc1 or its closely related ortholog, Tmc2, were capable of restoring sensory transduction, auditory brainstem responses, and acoustic startle reflexes in otherwise deaf mice, suggesting that gene augmentation with Tmc1 or Tmc2 is well suited for further development as a strategy for restoration of auditory function in deaf patients who carry TMC1 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Askew
- Department of Otolaryngology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Cylia Rochat
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bifeng Pan
- Department of Otolaryngology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yukako Asai
- Department of Otolaryngology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hena Ahmed
- Department of Otolaryngology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Erin Child
- Department of Otolaryngology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bernard L Schneider
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Aebischer
- Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jeffrey R Holt
- Department of Otolaryngology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Kim MA, Cho HJ, Bae SH, Lee B, Oh SK, Kwon TJ, Ryoo ZY, Kim HY, Cho JH, Kim UK, Lee KY. Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase B3-Targeted In Utero Gene Therapy Rescues Hearing Function in a Mouse Model of Congenital Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Antioxid Redox Signal 2016; 24:590-602. [PMID: 26649646 PMCID: PMC4840920 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2015.6442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Methionine sulfoxide reductase B3 (MsrB3), which stereospecifically repairs methionine-R-sulfoxide, is an important Msr protein that is associated with auditory function in mammals. MsrB3 deficiency leads to profound congenital hearing loss due to the degeneration of stereociliary bundles and the apoptotic death of cochlear hair cells. In this study, we investigated a fundamental treatment strategy in an MsrB3 deficiency mouse model and confirmed the biological significance of MsrB3 in the inner ear using MsrB3 knockout (MsrB3(-/-)) mice. RESULTS We delivered a recombinant adeno-associated virus encoding the MsrB3 gene directly into the otocyst at embryonic day 12.5 using a transuterine approach. We observed hearing recovery in the treated ears of MsrB3(-/-) mice at postnatal day 28, and we confirmed MsrB3 mRNA and protein expression in cochlear extracts. Additionally, we demonstrated that the morphology of the stereociliary bundles in the rescued ears of MsrB3(-/-) mice was similar to those in MsrB3(+/+) mice. INNOVATION To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate functional and morphological rescue of the hair cells of the inner ear in the MsrB3 deficiency mouse model of congenital genetic sensorineural hearing loss using an in utero, virus-mediated gene therapy approach. CONCLUSION Our results provide insight into the role of MsrB3 in hearing function and bring us one step closer to hearing restoration as a fundamental therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-A Kim
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- School of Life Sciences, KNU Creative BioResearch Group (BK21 plus project), Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Ju Cho
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hyun Bae
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- School of Life Sciences, KNU Creative BioResearch Group (BK21 plus project), Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeonghyeon Lee
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- School of Life Sciences, KNU Creative BioResearch Group (BK21 plus project), Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Kyung Oh
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- School of Life Sciences, KNU Creative BioResearch Group (BK21 plus project), Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI), Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Jun Kwon
- Laboratory Animal Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Zae-Young Ryoo
- School of Life Science and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwa-Young Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Ho Cho
- Department of Electronic Engineering, College of IT Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Un-Kyung Kim
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- School of Life Sciences, KNU Creative BioResearch Group (BK21 plus project), Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Yup Lee
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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A Rapid, Cost-Effective Method to Prepare Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus for Efficient Gene Transfer to the Developing Mouse Inner Ear. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1427:43-57. [PMID: 27259920 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3615-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
There is keen interest to define gene therapies aimed at restoration of auditory and vestibular function in the diseased or damaged mammalian inner ear. A persistent limitation of regenerative medical strategies that seek to correct or modify gene expression in the sensory epithelia of the inner ear involves efficacious delivery of a therapeutic genetic construct. Our approach is to define methodologies that enable fetal gene transfer to the developing mammalian inner ear in an effort to correct defective gene expression during formation of the sensory epithelia or during early postnatal life. Conceptually, the goal is to atraumatically introduce the genetic construct into the otocyst-staged mouse inner ear and transfect otic progenitors that give rise to sensory hair cells and supporting cells. Our long-term goal is to define therapeutic interventions for congenital deafness and balance disorders with the expectation that the approach may also be exploited for therapeutic intervention postnatally.In the inaugural volume of this series, we introduced electroporation-mediated gene transfer to the developing mouse inner ear that encompassed our mouse survival surgery and transuterine microinjection protocols (Brigande et al., Methods Mol Biol 493:125-139, 2009). In this chapter, we first briefly update our use of sodium pentobarbital anesthesia, our preferred anesthetic for mouse ventral laparotomy, in light of its rapidly escalating cost. Next, we define a rapid, cost-effective method to produce recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) for efficient gene transfer to the developing mouse inner ear. Our immediate goal is to provide a genetic toolkit that will permit the definition and validation of gene therapies in mouse models of human deafness and balance disorders.
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Chien WW, McDougald DS, Roy S, Fitzgerald TS, Cunningham LL. Cochlear gene transfer mediated by adeno-associated virus: Comparison of two surgical approaches. Laryngoscope 2015; 125:2557-64. [PMID: 25891801 DOI: 10.1002/lary.25317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Gene therapy offers the possibility of delivering corrective genetic materials to the cochlea, potentially improving hearing. In animals, the most commonly used surgical methods for viral gene therapy delivery to the cochlea are the round window and the cochleostomy approaches. However, the patterns of viral infection and the effects on hearing have not been directly compared between these two approaches. In this study, we compare the patterns of cochlear infection and effects on hearing between these two surgical approaches using adeno-associated virus serotype 2/8 (AAV8) as the gene delivery vehicle. STUDY DESIGN Animal study and basic science research. METHODS One- to two-month-old CBA/J mice were used in this study. AAV8-green fluorescent protein (GFP) was delivered to the cochlea by either the round window or the cochleostomy approach (described below). Auditory brainstem response was used to examine hearing thresholds before and after surgery. Animals were examined at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after surgery for the patterns of cochlear infection and hearing loss. RESULTS Cochlear gene transfer was successful through both surgical approaches. In both approaches, AAV8-GFP mostly infected the inner hair cells. There was occasional low-level infection of the outer hair cells and supporting cells. The two surgical approaches resulted in comparable viral infection efficiencies. The round window approach resulted in less surgical trauma, as indicated by hearing loss, than the cochleostomy approach. CONCLUSIONS Adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer to the cochlea can be accomplished using either the round window or the cochleostomy surgical approach. The round window approach resulted in less hearing loss compared to the cochleostomy approach. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wade W Chien
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (w.w.c., d.s.m., s.r., t.s.f., l.l.c), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A
| | - Devin S McDougald
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (w.w.c., d.s.m., s.r., t.s.f., l.l.c), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A
| | - Soumen Roy
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (w.w.c., d.s.m., s.r., t.s.f., l.l.c), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A
| | - Tracy S Fitzgerald
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (w.w.c., d.s.m., s.r., t.s.f., l.l.c), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A
| | - Lisa L Cunningham
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (w.w.c., d.s.m., s.r., t.s.f., l.l.c), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A
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Iizuka T, Kamiya K, Gotoh S, Sugitani Y, Suzuki M, Noda T, Minowa O, Ikeda K. Perinatal Gjb2 gene transfer rescues hearing in a mouse model of hereditary deafness. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:3651-61. [PMID: 25801282 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss is the most widespread sensory disorder, with an incidence of congenital genetic deafness of 1 in 1600 children. For many ethnic populations, the most prevalent form of genetic deafness is caused by recessive mutations in the gene gap junction protein, beta 2, 26 kDa (GJB2), which is also known as connexin 26 (Cx26). Despite this knowledge, existing treatment strategies do not completely recover speech perception. Here we used a gene delivery system to rescue hearing in a mouse model of Gjb2 deletion. Mice lacking Cx26 are characterized by profound deafness from birth and improper development of cochlear cells. Cochlear delivery of Gjb2 using an adeno-associated virus significantly improved the auditory responses and development of the cochlear structure. Using gene replacement to restore hearing in a new mouse model of Gjb2-related deafness may lead to the development of therapies for human hereditary deafness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Iizuka
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Kazusaku Kamiya
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Satoru Gotoh
- Department of Cell Biology, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Cancer Institute, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Sugitani
- Department of Cell Biology, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Cancer Institute, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan
| | - Masaaki Suzuki
- Department of Otolaryngology, Teikyo University Chiba Medical Center, Ichihara 299-0111, Japan and
| | - Tetsuo Noda
- Department of Cell Biology, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Cancer Institute, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan, Team for Advanced Development and Evaluation of Human Disease Models, RIKEN BioResource Center, Tsukuba 305-0074, Japan
| | - Osamu Minowa
- Department of Cell Biology, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Cancer Institute, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan, Team for Advanced Development and Evaluation of Human Disease Models, RIKEN BioResource Center, Tsukuba 305-0074, Japan
| | - Katsuhisa Ikeda
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan,
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Xiong W, Wagner T, Yan L, Grillet N, Müller U. Using injectoporation to deliver genes to mechanosensory hair cells. Nat Protoc 2014; 9:2438-49. [PMID: 25232939 PMCID: PMC4241755 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2014.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Mechanosensation, the transduction of mechanical force into electrochemical signals, allows organisms to detect touch and sound, to register movement and gravity, and to sense changes in cell volume and shape. The hair cells of the mammalian inner ear are the mechanosensors for the detection of sound and head movement. The analysis of gene function in hair cells has been hampered by the lack of an efficient gene transfer method. Here we describe a method termed injectoporation that combines tissue microinjection with electroporation to express cDNAs and shRNAs in mouse cochlear hair cells. Injectoporation allows for gene transfer into dozens of hair cells, and it is compatible with the analysis of hair cell function using imaging approaches and electrophysiology. Tissue dissection and injectoporation can be carried out within a few hours, and the tissue can be cultured for days for subsequent functional analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Xiong
- 1] Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA. [2]
| | - Thomas Wagner
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Linxuan Yan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Nicolas Grillet
- 1] Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA. [2]
| | - Ulrich Müller
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Dorris Neuroscience Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
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Revelo NH, Kamin D, Truckenbrodt S, Wong AB, Reuter-Jessen K, Reisinger E, Moser T, Rizzoli SO. A new probe for super-resolution imaging of membranes elucidates trafficking pathways. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 205:591-606. [PMID: 24862576 PMCID: PMC4033769 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201402066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
mCLING is a novel membrane probe for the study of membrane trafficking with demonstrated value in both live and fixed cells across a wide range of biological systems. The molecular composition of the organelles involved in membrane recycling is difficult to establish as a result of the absence of suitable labeling tools. We introduce in this paper a novel probe, named membrane-binding fluorophore-cysteine-lysine-palmitoyl group (mCLING), which labels the plasma membrane and is taken up during endocytosis. It remains attached to membranes after fixation and permeabilization and can therefore be used in combination with immunostaining and super-resolution microscopy. We applied mCLING to mammalian-cultured cells, yeast, bacteria, primary cultured neurons, Drosophila melanogaster larval neuromuscular junctions, and mammalian tissue. mCLING enabled us to study the molecular composition of different trafficking organelles. We used it to address several questions related to synaptic vesicle recycling in the auditory inner hair cells from the organ of Corti and to investigate molecular differences between synaptic vesicles that recycle actively or spontaneously in cultured neurons. We conclude that mCLING enables the investigation of trafficking membranes in a broad range of preparations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia H Revelo
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, GermanyDepartment of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Collaborative Research Center 889 and Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dirk Kamin
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, GermanyDepartment of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sven Truckenbrodt
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, GermanyDepartment of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany International Max Planck Research School for Molecular Biology, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Aaron B Wong
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany International Max Planck Research School for Neurosciences, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Collaborative Research Center 889 and Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kirsten Reuter-Jessen
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany Collaborative Research Center 889 and Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ellen Reisinger
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany Collaborative Research Center 889 and Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Moser
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany Collaborative Research Center 889 and Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany Collaborative Research Center 889 and Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Silvio O Rizzoli
- Department of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, GermanyDepartment of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology; European Neuroscience Institute; and InnerEarLab and Molecular Biology of Cochlear Neurotransmission Group, Department of Otolaryngology; University Medical Center Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany Collaborative Research Center 889 and Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany Collaborative Research Center 889 and Cluster of Excellence Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany
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Adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer targeting normal and traumatized mouse utricle. Gene Ther 2014; 21:958-66. [PMID: 25119376 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2014.73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2014] [Revised: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Balance dysfunction is closely associated with loss of vestibular hair cells (HCs). Gene therapy shows promise when used to protect or regenerate vestibular HCs to preserve or restore adequate vestibular function. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors allow long-term gene expression in the absence of toxicity. To noninvasively define an AAV serotype exhibiting favorable tropism toward the vestibular sensory epithelium, we characterized the transgene expression potential of AAV vectors (serotypes 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8) inoculated into adult mouse utricle via canalostomy. We found that AAV8 was the most effective AAV vector in utricular gene transfer. Swim tests and measurements of auditory brainstem response revealed minimal loss of vestibular function and hearing after canalostomy. In the normal utricle after AAV8 infusion, transduction efficiency peaked at 7 days, and was maintained thereafter, in vestibular HCs, and at 3 days in supporting cells (SCs). In the streptomycin-lesioned utricle, the SC transduction efficiency peaked at 7 days and decreased at 30 days. In conclusion, AAV8-mediated gene transfer via canalostomy facilitates efficient and safe transduction in mouse vestibular sensory epithelium, and may in the future become clinically relevant for human vestibular gene therapy.
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Abstract
Synaptic vesicle recycling sustains high rates of neurotransmission at the ribbon-type active zones (AZs) of mouse auditory inner hair cells (IHCs), but its modes and molecular regulation are poorly understood. Electron microscopy indicated the presence of clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) and bulk endocytosis. The endocytic proteins dynamin, clathrin, and amphiphysin are expressed and broadly distributed in IHCs. We used confocal vglut1-pHluorin imaging and membrane capacitance (Cm) measurements to study the spatial organization and dynamics of IHC exocytosis and endocytosis. Viral gene transfer expressed vglut1-pHluorin in IHCs and targeted it to synaptic vesicles. The intravesicular pH was ∼6.5, supporting only a modest increase of vglut1-pHluorin fluorescence during exocytosis and pH neutralization. Ca(2+) influx triggered an exocytic increase of vglut1-pHluorin fluorescence at the AZs, around which it remained for several seconds. The endocytic Cm decline proceeded with constant rate (linear component) after exocytosis of the readily releasable pool (RRP). When exocytosis exceeded three to four RRP equivalents, IHCs additionally recruited a faster Cm decline (exponential component) that increased with the amount of preceding exocytosis and likely reflects bulk endocytosis. The dynamin inhibitor Dyngo-4a and the clathrin blocker pitstop 2 selectively impaired the linear component of endocytic Cm decline. A missense mutation of dynamin 1 (fitful) inhibited endocytosis to a similar extent as Dyngo-4a. We propose that IHCs use dynamin-dependent endocytosis via CME to support vesicle cycling during mild stimulation but recruit bulk endocytosis to balance massive exocytosis.
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Hernandez VH, Gehrt A, Reuter K, Jing Z, Jeschke M, Mendoza Schulz A, Hoch G, Bartels M, Vogt G, Garnham CW, Yawo H, Fukazawa Y, Augustine GJ, Bamberg E, Kügler S, Salditt T, de Hoz L, Strenzke N, Moser T. Optogenetic stimulation of the auditory pathway. J Clin Invest 2014; 124:1114-29. [PMID: 24509078 DOI: 10.1172/jci69050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Auditory prostheses can partially restore speech comprehension when hearing fails. Sound coding with current prostheses is based on electrical stimulation of auditory neurons and has limited frequency resolution due to broad current spread within the cochlea. In contrast, optical stimulation can be spatially confined, which may improve frequency resolution. Here, we used animal models to characterize optogenetic stimulation, which is the optical stimulation of neurons genetically engineered to express the light-gated ion channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2). Optogenetic stimulation of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) activated the auditory pathway, as demonstrated by recordings of single neuron and neuronal population responses. Furthermore, optogenetic stimulation of SGNs restored auditory activity in deaf mice. Approximation of the spatial spread of cochlear excitation by recording local field potentials (LFPs) in the inferior colliculus in response to suprathreshold optical, acoustic, and electrical stimuli indicated that optogenetic stimulation achieves better frequency resolution than monopolar electrical stimulation. Virus-mediated expression of a ChR2 variant with greater light sensitivity in SGNs reduced the amount of light required for responses and allowed neuronal spiking following stimulation up to 60 Hz. Our study demonstrates a strategy for optogenetic stimulation of the auditory pathway in rodents and lays the groundwork for future applications of cochlear optogenetics in auditory research and prosthetics.
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Kohrman DC, Raphael Y. Gene therapy for deafness. Gene Ther 2013; 20:1119-23. [PMID: 23864018 PMCID: PMC4113964 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2013.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Revised: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit in humans and can result from genetic, environmental or combined etiologies that prevent normal function of the cochlea, the peripheral sensory organ. Recent advances in understanding the genetic pathways that are critical for the development and maintenance of cochlear function, as well as the molecular mechanisms that underlie cell trauma and death, have provided exciting opportunities for modulating these pathways to correct genetic mutations, to enhance the endogenous protective pathways for hearing preservation and to regenerate lost sensory cells with the possibility of ameliorating hearing loss. A number of recent animal studies have used gene-based therapies in innovative ways toward realizing these goals. With further refinement, some of the protective and regenerative approaches reviewed here may become clinically applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Kohrman
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kresge Hearing Research Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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