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Visser J, Milior G, Breton R, Moulard J, Garnero M, Ezan P, Ribot J, Rouach N. Astroglial networks control visual responses of superior collicular neurons and sensory-motor behavior. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114504. [PMID: 38996064 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114504] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Astroglial networks closely interact with neuronal populations, but their functional contribution to neuronal representation of sensory information remains unexplored. The superior colliculus (SC) integrates multi-sensory information by generating distinct spatial patterns of neuronal functional responses to specific sensory stimulation. Here, we report that astrocytes from the mouse SC form extensive networks in the retinorecipient layer compared to visual cortex. This strong astroglial connectivity relies on high expression of gap-junction proteins. Genetic disruption of this connectivity functionally impairs SC retinotopic and orientation preference responses. These alterations are region specific, absent in primary visual cortex, and associated at the circuit level with a specific impairment of collicular neurons synaptic transmission. This has implications for SC-related visually induced innate behavior, as disrupting astroglial networks impairs light-evoked temporary arrest. Our results indicate that astroglial networks shape synaptic circuit activity underlying SC functional visual responses and play a crucial role in integrating visual cues to drive sensory-motor behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josien Visser
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France; Doctoral School No. 158, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Giampaolo Milior
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Rachel Breton
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Julien Moulard
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Maina Garnero
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France; Doctoral School No. 158, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Ezan
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Ribot
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Rouach
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology and Pathologies, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Labex Memolife, Université PSL, Paris, France.
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Batissoco AC, Cruz DB, Alegria TGP, Kobayashi G, Oiticica J, Soares LE, Passos-Bueno MR, Haddad LA, Mingroni RC. GJB2 c.35del variant up-regulates GJA1 gene expression and affects differentiation of human stem cells. Genet Mol Biol 2024; 47:e20230170. [PMID: 38626573 PMCID: PMC11021044 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2023-0170] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic DNA alterations in GJB2 are present in nearly half of non-syndromic hearing loss cases with autosomal recessive inheritance. The most frequent variant in GJB2 causing non-syndromic hearing loss is the frameshifting c.35del. GJB2 encodes Cx26, a protein of the connexin family that assembles hemichannels and gap junctions. The expression of paralogous proteins is believed to compensate for the loss of function of specific connexins. As Cx26 has been involved in cell differentiation in distinct tissues, we employed stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs), homozygous for the c.35del variant, to assess GJB2 roles in stem cell differentiation and the relationship between its loss of function and the expression of paralogous genes. Primary SHED cultures from patients and control individuals were compared. SHEDs from patients had significantly less GJB2 mRNA and increased amount of GJA1 (Cx43), but not GJB6 (Cx30) or GJB3 (Cx31) mRNA. In addition, they presented higher induced differentiation to adipocytes and osteocytes but lower chondrocyte differentiation. Our results suggest that GJA1 increased expression may be involved in functional compensation for GJB2 loss of function in human stem cells, and it may explain changes in differentiation properties observed in SHEDs with and without the c.35del variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carla Batissoco
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Faculdade de Medicina (FM), Hospital das Clínicas (HC), Laboratório de Investigação Médica de Otorrinolaringologia (LIM32), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Faculdade de Medicina (FM), Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Dayane Bernardino Cruz
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Instituto de Biociências (IB), Centro de Pesquisa Sobre o Genoma Humano e Células-Tronco (HUG-CELL), Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Thiago Geronimo Pires Alegria
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Instituto de Biociências (IB), Centro de Pesquisa Sobre o Genoma Humano e Células-Tronco (HUG-CELL), Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gerson Kobayashi
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Instituto de Biociências (IB), Centro de Pesquisa Sobre o Genoma Humano e Células-Tronco (HUG-CELL), Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jeanne Oiticica
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Faculdade de Medicina (FM), Hospital das Clínicas (HC), Laboratório de Investigação Médica de Otorrinolaringologia (LIM32), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Faculdade de Medicina (FM), Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis Eduardo Soares
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Instituto de Biociências (IB), Centro de Pesquisa Sobre o Genoma Humano e Células-Tronco (HUG-CELL), Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Rita Passos-Bueno
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Instituto de Biociências (IB), Centro de Pesquisa Sobre o Genoma Humano e Células-Tronco (HUG-CELL), Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luciana Amaral Haddad
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Instituto de Biociências (IB), Centro de Pesquisa Sobre o Genoma Humano e Células-Tronco (HUG-CELL), Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Regina Célia Mingroni
- Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Instituto de Biociências (IB), Centro de Pesquisa Sobre o Genoma Humano e Células-Tronco (HUG-CELL), Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Domínguez-Ruiz M, Murillo-Cuesta S, Contreras J, Cantero M, Garrido G, Martín-Bernardo B, Gómez-Rosas E, Fernández A, Del Castillo FJ, Montoliu L, Varela-Nieto I, Del Castillo I. A murine model for the del(GJB6-D13S1830) deletion recapitulating the phenotype of human DFNB1 hearing impairment: generation and functional and histopathological study. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:359. [PMID: 38605287 PMCID: PMC11007912 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10289-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Inherited hearing impairment is a remarkably heterogeneous monogenic condition, involving hundreds of genes, most of them with very small (< 1%) epidemiological contributions. The exception is GJB2, the gene encoding connexin-26 and underlying DFNB1, which is the most frequent type of autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing impairment (ARNSHI) in most populations (up to 40% of ARNSHI cases). DFNB1 is caused by different types of pathogenic variants in GJB2, but also by large deletions that keep the gene intact but remove an upstream regulatory element that is essential for its expression. Such large deletions, found in most populations, behave as complete loss-of-function variants, usually associated with a profound hearing impairment. By using CRISPR-Cas9 genetic edition, we have generated a murine model (Dfnb1em274) that reproduces the most frequent of those deletions, del(GJB6-D13S1830). Dfnb1em274 homozygous mice are viable, bypassing the embryonic lethality of the Gjb2 knockout, and present a phenotype of profound hearing loss (> 90 dB SPL) that correlates with specific structural abnormalities in the cochlea. We show that Gjb2 expression is nearly abolished and its protein product, Cx26, is nearly absent all throughout the cochlea, unlike previous conditional knockouts in which Gjb2 ablation was not obtained in all cell types. The Dfnb1em274 model recapitulates the clinical presentation of patients harbouring the del(GJB6-D13S1830) variant and thus it is a valuable tool to study the pathological mechanisms of DFNB1 and to assay therapies for this most frequent type of human ARNSHI.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Domínguez-Ruiz
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Murillo-Cuesta
- Institute for Biomedical Research "Sols-Morreale", Spanish National Research Council-Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio Contreras
- Institute for Biomedical Research "Sols-Morreale", Spanish National Research Council-Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Cantero
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Garrido
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Belén Martín-Bernardo
- Institute for Biomedical Research "Sols-Morreale", Spanish National Research Council-Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Gómez-Rosas
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - Almudena Fernández
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco J Del Castillo
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lluís Montoliu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Varela-Nieto
- Institute for Biomedical Research "Sols-Morreale", Spanish National Research Council-Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Del Castillo
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
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Ohlemiller KK, Dwyer N, Henson V, Fasman K, Hirose K. A critical evaluation of "leakage" at the cochlear blood-stria-barrier and its functional significance. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1368058. [PMID: 38486963 PMCID: PMC10937559 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1368058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The blood-labyrinth-barrier (BLB) is a semipermeable boundary between the vasculature and three separate fluid spaces of the inner ear, the perilymph, the endolymph and the intrastrial space. An important component of the BLB is the blood-stria-barrier, which shepherds the passage of ions and metabolites from strial capillaries into the intrastrial space. Some investigators have reported increased "leakage" from these capillaries following certain experimental interventions, or in the presence of inflammation or genetic variants. This leakage is generally thought to be harmful to cochlear function, principally by lowering the endocochlear potential (EP). Here, we examine evidence for this dogma. We find that strial capillaries are not exclusive, and that the asserted detrimental influence of strial capillary leakage is often confounded by hair cell damage or intrinsic dysfunction of the stria. The vast majority of previous reports speculate about the influence of strial vascular barrier function on the EP without directly measuring the EP. We argue that strial capillary leakage is common across conditions and species, and does not significantly impact the EP or hearing thresholds, either on evidentiary or theoretical grounds. Instead, strial capillary endothelial cells and pericytes are dynamic and allow permeability of varying degrees in response to specific conditions. We present observations from mice and demonstrate that the mechanisms of strial capillary transport are heterogeneous and inconsistent among inbred strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin K. Ohlemiller
- Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Program in Communication Sciences and Audiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Noël Dwyer
- Program in Communication Sciences and Audiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Veronica Henson
- Program in Communication Sciences and Audiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Kaela Fasman
- Program in Communication Sciences and Audiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Keiko Hirose
- Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Kersbergen CJ, Babola TA, Kanold PO, Bergles DE. Preservation of developmental spontaneous activity enables early auditory system maturation in deaf mice. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002160. [PMID: 37368868 PMCID: PMC10298803 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically generated neural activity propagates through the developing auditory system to promote maturation and refinement of sound processing circuits prior to hearing onset. This early patterned activity is induced by non-sensory supporting cells in the organ of Corti, which are highly interconnected through gap junctions containing connexin 26 (Gjb2). Although loss of function mutations in Gjb2 impair cochlear development and are the most common cause of congenital deafness, it is not known if these variants disrupt spontaneous activity and the developmental trajectory of sound processing circuits in the brain. Here, we show in a new mouse model of Gjb2-mediated congenital deafness that cochlear supporting cells adjacent to inner hair cells (IHCs) unexpectedly retain intercellular coupling and the capacity to generate spontaneous activity, exhibiting only modest deficits prior to hearing onset. Supporting cells lacking Gjb2 elicited coordinated activation of IHCs, leading to coincident bursts of activity in central auditory neurons that will later process similar frequencies of sound. Despite alterations in the structure of the sensory epithelium, hair cells within the cochlea of Gjb2-deficient mice were intact and central auditory neurons could be activated within appropriate tonotopic domains by loud sounds at hearing onset, indicating that early maturation and refinement of auditory circuits was preserved. Only after cessation of spontaneous activity following hearing onset did progressive hair cell degeneration and enhanced auditory neuron excitability manifest. This preservation of cochlear spontaneous neural activity in the absence of connexin 26 may increase the effectiveness of early therapeutic interventions to restore hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin J. Kersbergen
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Travis A. Babola
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Patrick O. Kanold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Dwight E. Bergles
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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Wu J, Tao Y, Deng D, Meng Z, Zhao Y. The applications of CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing in genetic hearing loss. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:93. [PMID: 37210555 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01021-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss (HL) can be caused by a number of different genetic factors. Non-syndromic HL refers that HL occurs as an isolated symptom in an individual, whereas syndromic HL refers that HL is associated with other symptoms or abnormalities. To date, more than 140 genes have been identified as being associated with non-syndromic HL, and approximately 400 genetic syndromes can include HL as one of the clinical symptoms. However, no gene therapeutic approaches are currently available to restore or improve hearing. Therefore, there is an urgent necessity to elucidate the possible pathogenesis of specific mutations in HL-associated genes and to investigate the promising therapeutic strategies for genetic HL. The development of the CRISPR/Cas system has revolutionized the field of genome engineering, which has become an efficacious and cost-effective tool to foster genetic HL research. Moreover, several in vivo studies have demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of the CRISPR/Cas-mediated treatments for specific genetic HL. In this review, we briefly introduce the progress in CRISPR/Cas technique as well as the understanding of genetic HL, and then we detail the recent achievements of CRISPR/Cas technique in disease modeling and therapeutic strategies for genetic HL. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges for the application of CRISPR/Cas technique in future clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Wu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yong Tao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Di Deng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhaoli Meng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Xu J, Nicholson BJ. Divergence between Hemichannel and Gap Junction Permeabilities of Connexin 30 and 26. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:390. [PMID: 36836746 PMCID: PMC9962233 DOI: 10.3390/life13020390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cx30 has been proposed to play physiological functions in the kidney and cochlea, and this has often been associated with its hemichannel role (deafness mutants frequently affecting hemichannels more than gap junctions), implicated in ATP release. Here, we used heterologous expression systems (Xenopus oocytes and N2A cells) to describe the properties of Cx30 hemichannels, with the objective of better understanding their physiological functions. As previously observed, Cx30 hemichannels gated in response to transmembrane voltage (V0) and extracellular [Ca2+] (pK[Ca2+] of 1.9 μM in the absence of Mg++). They show minimal charge selectivity with respect to small ions (ratio of Na+: K+: Cl- of 1: 0.4: 0.6) and an MW cut-off for Alexa Dyes between 643 (Alex 488) and 820 Da (Alexa 594). However, while cations follow the expected drop in conductance with size (Na+ to TEA+ is 1: 0.3), anions showed an increase, with a ratio of Cl- to gluconate conductance of 1:1.4, suggesting favorable interactions between larger anions and the pore. This was further explored by comparing the permeabilities of both hemichannels and gap junctions to the natural anion (ATP), the release of which has been implicated in Ca++ signaling through hemichannels. We extended this analysis to two closely related connexins co-expressed in the cochlear, Cx26 and Cx30. Cx30 and 26 hemichannels displayed similar permeabilities to ATP, but surprisingly Cx26 gap junctions were six times more permeable than their hemichannels and four times more permeable than Cx30 gap junctions. This suggests a significant physiological difference in the functions of Cx26 and Cx30 gap junctions in organs where they are co-expressed, at least with regard to the distribution of energy resources of the cells. It also demonstrates that the permeability characteristics of hemichannels can significantly diverge from that of their gap junctions for some connexins but not others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Bruce J. Nicholson
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
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Liu W, Rask-Andersen H. GJB2 and GJB6 gene transcripts in the human cochlea: A study using RNAscope, confocal, and super-resolution structured illumination microscopy. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:973646. [PMID: 36204137 PMCID: PMC9530750 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.973646] [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: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gap junction (GJ) proteins, connexin26 and 30, are highly prevalent in the human cochlea (HC), where they are involved in transcellular signaling, metabolic supply, and fluid homeostasis. Their genes, GJB2 and GJB6, are both located at the DFNB1 locus on chromosome 13q12. Mutations in GJB2 may cause mild to profound non-syndromic deafness. Here, we analyzed for the first time the various expressions of GJB2 and GJB6 gene transcripts in the different cell networks in the HC using the RNAscope technique. Materials and methods Archival paraformaldehyde-fixed sections of surgically obtained HC were used to label single mRNA oligonucleotides using the sensitive multiplex RNAscope® technique with fluorescent-tagged probes. Positive and negative controls also included the localization of ATP1A1, ATP1A2, and KCNJ10 gene transcripts in order to validate the specificity of labeling. Results Confocal and super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SR-SIM) detected single gene transcripts as brightly stained puncta. The GJB2 and GJB6 gene transcripts were distributed in the epithelial and connective tissue systems in all three cochlear turns. The largest number of GJB2 and GJB6 gene transcripts was in the outer sulcus, spiral ligament, and stria vascularis (SV). Oligonucleotides were present in the supporting cells of the organ of Corti (OC), spiral limbus fibrocytes, and the floor of the scala vestibuli. Multiplex gene data suggest that cells in the cochlear lateral wall contain either GJB2 or GJB6 gene transcripts or both. The GJB6, but not GJB2, gene transcripts were found in the intermediate cells but none were found in the marginal cells. There were no GJB2 or GJB6 gene transcripts found in the hair cells and only a few in the spiral ganglion cells. Conclusion Both GJB2 and GJB6 mRNA gene transcripts were localized in cells in the adult HC using RNAscope®in situ hybridization (ISH) and high resolution microscopy. Generally, GJB6 dominated over GJB2, except in the basal cells. Results suggest that cells may contain either GJB2 or GJB6 gene transcripts or both. This may be consistent with specialized GJ plaques having separate channel permeability and gating properties. A reduction in the number of GJB2 gene transcripts was found in the basal turn. Such information may be useful for future gene therapy.
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Paciello F, Zorzi V, Raspa M, Scavizzi F, Grassi C, Mammano F, Fetoni AR. Connexin 30 deletion exacerbates cochlear senescence and age-related hearing loss. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:950837. [PMID: 36016655 PMCID: PMC9395607 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.950837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic mutations in the Gjb2 and Gjb6 genes, encoding connexin 26 (Cx26) and connexin 30 (Cx30), respectively, have been linked to the most frequent monogenic hearing impairment, nonsyndromic hearing loss, and deafness DFNB1. It is known that Cx26 plays an important role in auditory development, while the role of Cx30 in hearing remains controversial. Previous studies found that partial deletion of Cx26 can accelerate age-related hearing loss (ARHL), a multifactorial complex disorder, with both environmental and genetic factors contributing to the etiology of the disease. Here, we investigated the role of Cx30 in cochlear-aging processes using a transgenic mouse model with total deletion of Cx30 (Cx30 ΔΔ mice), in which Cx30 was removed without perturbing the surrounding sequences. We show that these mice are affected by exacerbated ARHL, with increased morphological cochlear damage, oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular dysfunctions. Overall, our data demonstrate that Cx30 deletion can be considered a genetic risk factor for ARHL, making cochlear structures more susceptible to aging processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Paciello
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica Zorzi
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Monterotondo (RM), Italy
| | - Marcello Raspa
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Monterotondo (RM), Italy
| | | | - Claudio Grassi
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Mammano
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Monterotondo (RM), Italy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- *Correspondence: Fabio Mammano, ; Anna Rita Fetoni,
| | - Anna Rita Fetoni
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Unit of Audiology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- *Correspondence: Fabio Mammano, ; Anna Rita Fetoni,
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10
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Jang MW, Lim J, Park MG, Lee JH, Lee CJ. Active role of glia-like supporting cells in the organ of Corti: Membrane proteins and their roles in hearing. Glia 2022; 70:1799-1825. [PMID: 35713516 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The organ of Corti, located in the cochlea in the inner ear, is one of the major sensory organs involved in hearing. The organ of Corti consists of hair cells, glia-like supporting cells, and the cochlear nerve, which work in harmony to receive sound from the outer ear and transmit auditory signals to the cochlear nucleus in the auditory ascending pathway. In this process, maintenance of the endocochlear potential, with a high potassium gradient and clearance of electrolytes and biochemicals in the inner ear, is critical for normal sound transduction. There is an emerging need for a thorough understanding of each cell type involved in this process to understand the sophisticated mechanisms of the organ of Corti. Hair cells have long been thought to be active, playing a primary role in the cochlea in actively detecting and transmitting signals. In contrast, supporting cells are thought to be silent and function to support hair cells. However, growing lines of evidence regarding the membrane proteins that mediate ionic movement in supporting cells have demonstrated that supporting cells are not silent, but actively play important roles in normal signal transduction. In this review, we summarize studies that characterize diverse membrane proteins according to the supporting cell subtypes involved in cochlear physiology and hearing. This review contributes to a better understanding of supporting cell functions and facilitates the development of potential therapeutic tools for hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minwoo Wendy Jang
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwoon Lim
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,IBS School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Mingu Gordon Park
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hun Lee
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - C Justin Lee
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,IBS School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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11
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Zhang L, Wang W, Kim SM, Wang J, Zhou B, Kong W, Zheng J, Lin X. Virally Mediated Connexin 26 Expression in Postnatal Scala Media Significantly and Transiently Preserves Hearing in Connexin 30 Null Mice. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:900416. [PMID: 35573684 PMCID: PMC9091169 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.900416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-sensory cells in the sensory epithelium of the cochlea are connected extensively by gap junctions. Functionally null mutations in GJB6 (encoding Cx30) cause hearing loss in humans. In this study, we injected AAV1-CB7-Gjb2 into the scala media between P0-2 in the cochlea of Gjb6−/− mice. The injection increased Cx26 expression and significantly preserved auditory functions. However, the hearing preservation gradually declined and essentially disappeared 3 months after the injections. In contrast, the morphological preservation was still significant at 3 months post-injection. We found that the expression of Cx26, at both the mRNA and protein levels, showed substantial decreases during the 3-month period. Curiously, treatments by injecting AAV1-CB7-Gjb6 with the identical approach failed to yield any hearing preservation. Our results demonstrated the first successful cochlear gene therapy treatment in mouse models by virally expressing a companion gene of Gjb6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Wenwen Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Sun Myoung Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jianjun Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Binfei Zhou
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Weijia Kong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - James Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Xi Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- *Correspondence: Xi Lin,
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12
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Connexin Mutations and Hereditary Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084255. [PMID: 35457072 PMCID: PMC9027513 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited diseases caused by connexin mutations are found in multiple organs and include hereditary deafness, congenital cataract, congenital heart diseases, hereditary skin diseases, and X-linked Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT1X). A large number of knockout and knock-in animal models have been used to study the pathology and pathogenesis of diseases of different organs. Because the structures of different connexins are highly homologous and the functions of gap junctions formed by these connexins are similar, connexin-related hereditary diseases may share the same pathogenic mechanism. Here, we analyze the similarities and differences of the pathology and pathogenesis in animal models and find that connexin mutations in gap junction genes expressed in the ear, eye, heart, skin, and peripheral nerves can affect cellular proliferation and differentiation of corresponding organs. Additionally, some dominant mutations (e.g., Cx43 p.Gly60Ser, Cx32 p.Arg75Trp, Cx32 p.Asn175Asp, and Cx32 p.Arg142Trp) are identified as gain-of-function variants in vivo, which may play a vital role in the onset of dominant inherited diseases. Specifically, patients with these dominant mutations receive no benefits from gene therapy. Finally, the complete loss of gap junctional function or altered channel function including permeability (ions, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), Ca2+, glucose, miRNA) and electric activity are also identified in vivo or in vitro.
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13
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Hösli L, Binini N, Ferrari KD, Thieren L, Looser ZJ, Zuend M, Zanker HS, Berry S, Holub M, Möbius W, Ruhwedel T, Nave KA, Giaume C, Weber B, Saab AS. Decoupling astrocytes in adult mice impairs synaptic plasticity and spatial learning. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110484. [PMID: 35263595 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms by which astrocytes modulate neural homeostasis, synaptic plasticity, and memory are still poorly explored. Astrocytes form large intercellular networks by gap junction coupling, mainly composed of two gap junction channel proteins, connexin 30 (Cx30) and connexin 43 (Cx43). To circumvent developmental perturbations and to test whether astrocytic gap junction coupling is required for hippocampal neural circuit function and behavior, we generate and study inducible, astrocyte-specific Cx30 and Cx43 double knockouts. Surprisingly, disrupting astrocytic coupling in adult mice results in broad activation of astrocytes and microglia, without obvious signs of pathology. We show that hippocampal CA1 neuron excitability, excitatory synaptic transmission, and long-term potentiation are significantly affected. Moreover, behavioral inspection reveals deficits in sensorimotor performance and a complete lack of spatial learning and memory. Together, our findings establish that astrocytic connexins and an intact astroglial network in the adult brain are vital for neural homeostasis, plasticity, and spatial cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ladina Hösli
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Noemi Binini
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kim David Ferrari
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laetitia Thieren
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zoe J Looser
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marc Zuend
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Henri S Zanker
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stewart Berry
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Holub
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Wiebke Möbius
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Torben Ruhwedel
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Klaus-Armin Nave
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Giaume
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Bruno Weber
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Aiman S Saab
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
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14
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Chen J, Chen P, He B, Gong T, Li Y, Zhang J, Lv J, Mammano F, Hou S, Yang J. Connexin30-Deficiency Causes Mild Hearing Loss With the Reduction of Endocochlear Potential and ATP Release. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:819194. [PMID: 35110999 PMCID: PMC8802669 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.819194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
GJB2 and GJB6 are adjacent genes encoding connexin 26 (Cx26) and connexin 30 (Cx30), respectively, with overlapping expressions in the inner ear. Both genes are associated with the commonest monogenic hearing disorder, recessive isolated deafness DFNB1. Cx26 plays an important role in auditory development, while the role of Cx30 in hearing remains controversial. Previous studies found that Cx30 knockout mice had severe hearing loss along with a 90% reduction in Cx26, while another Cx30 knockout mouse model showed normal hearing with nearly half of Cx26 preserved. In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to establish a new Cx30 knockout mouse model (Cx30−/−), which preserves approximately 70% of Cx26. We found that the 1, 3, and 6-month-old Cx30−/− mice showed mild hearing loss at full frequency. Immunofluorescence and HE staining suggested no significant differences in microstructure of the cochlea between Cx30−/− mice and wild-type mice. However, transmission electron microscopy showed slight cavity-like damage in the stria vascularis of Cx30−/− mice. And Cx30 deficiency reduced the production of endocochlear potential (EP) and the release of ATP, which may have induced hearing loss. Taken together, this study showed that lack of Cx30 can lead to hearing loss with an approximately 30% reduction of Cx26 in the present Cx30 knockout model. Hence, Cx30 may play an important rather than redundant role in hearing development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junmin Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Penghui Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Baihui He
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianyu Gong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Jifang Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingrong Lv
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Fabio Mammano
- Department of Physics and Astronomy “G. Galilei”, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Italian National Research Council, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Shule Hou
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shule Hou Jun Yang
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shule Hou Jun Yang
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15
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Lin YH, Wu PC, Tsai CY, Lin YH, Lo MY, Hsu SJ, Lin PH, Erdenechuluun J, Wu HP, Hsu CJ, Wu CC, Chen PL. Hearing Impairment with Monoallelic GJB2 Variants: A GJB2 Cause or Non-GJB2 Cause? J Mol Diagn 2021; 23:1279-1291. [PMID: 34325055 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2021.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recessive variants in GJB2 are the most common genetic cause of sensorineural hearing impairment. However, in many patients, only one variant in the GJB2 coding region is identified using conventional sequencing strategy (eg, Sanger sequencing), resulting in nonconfirmative diagnosis. Conceivably, there might be other unidentified pathogenic variants in the noncoding region of GJB2 or other deafness-causing genes in these patients. To address this, a next-generation sequencing-based diagnostic panel targeting the entire GJB2 gene and the coding regions of 158 other known deafness-causing genes was designed and applied to 95 patients with nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing impairment (including 81 Han Taiwanese and 14 Mongolian patients) in whom only a single GJB2 variant had been detected using conventional Sanger sequencing. The panel confirmed the genetic diagnosis in 24 patients (25.3%). Twenty-two of them had causative variants in several deafness-causing genes other than GJB2, including MYO15A, MYO7A, TECTA, POU4F3, KCNQ4, SLC26A4, OTOF, MT-RNR1, MITF, WFS1, and USH2A. The other two patients had causative variants in GJB2, including a Taiwanese patient with a mosaic maternal uniparental disomy c.235delC variant (approximately 69% mosaicism) and a Mongolian patient with compound heterozygous c.35dupG and c.35delG variants, which occurred at the same site. This study demonstrates the utility of next-generation sequencing in clarifying the genetic diagnosis of hearing-impaired patients with nonconfirmative GJB2 genotypes on conventional genetic examinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hsin Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Che Wu
- College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yu Tsai
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institutes of Medical Genomic, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Hung Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institutes of Medical Genomic, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Yu Lo
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Jui Hsu
- Graduate Institutes of Medical Genomic, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan
| | - Jargalkhuu Erdenechuluun
- Department of Otolaryngology, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; The EMJJ Otolaryngology Hospital, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Hung-Pin Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Jen Hsu
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Chi Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Pei-Lung Chen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institutes of Medical Genomic, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
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16
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Ribot J, Breton R, Calvo CF, Moulard J, Ezan P, Zapata J, Samama K, Moreau M, Bemelmans AP, Sabatet V, Dingli F, Loew D, Milleret C, Billuart P, Dallérac G, Rouach N. Astrocytes close the mouse critical period for visual plasticity. Science 2021; 373:77-81. [PMID: 34210880 DOI: 10.1126/science.abf5273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Brain postnatal development is characterized by critical periods of experience-dependent remodeling of neuronal circuits. Failure to end these periods results in neurodevelopmental disorders. The cellular processes defining critical-period timing remain unclear. Here, we show that in the mouse visual cortex, astrocytes control critical-period closure. We uncover the underlying pathway, which involves astrocytic regulation of the extracellular matrix, allowing interneuron maturation. Unconventional astrocyte connexin signaling hinders expression of extracellular matrix-degrading enzyme matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) through RhoA-guanosine triphosphatase activation. Thus, astrocytes not only influence the activity of single synapses but also are key elements in the experience-dependent wiring of brain circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Ribot
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Rachel Breton
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France.,Doctoral School N°568, Paris Saclay University, PSL Research University, Le Kremlin Bicetre, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Charles-Félix Calvo
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Julien Moulard
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France.,Doctoral School N°158, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Ezan
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Jonathan Zapata
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Kevin Samama
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Moreau
- Université de Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Genetic and Development of Cerebral Cortex Laboratory, GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Saint Anne, Paris, France
| | - Alexis-Pierre Bemelmans
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA), Département de la Recherche Fondamentale, Institut de biologie François Jacob, MIRCen, and CNRS UMR 9199, Université Paris-Saclay, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Valentin Sabatet
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Laboratory, Paris, France
| | - Florent Dingli
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Laboratory, Paris, France
| | - Damarys Loew
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Laboratory, Paris, France
| | - Chantal Milleret
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Billuart
- Université de Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Genetic and Development of Cerebral Cortex Laboratory, GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Hôpital Saint Anne, Paris, France
| | - Glenn Dallérac
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Rouach
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
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17
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Hardy E, Cohen-Salmon M, Rouach N, Rancillac A. Astroglial Cx30 differentially impacts synaptic activity from hippocampal principal cells and interneurons. Glia 2021; 69:2178-2198. [PMID: 33973274 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes play important roles in brain function via dynamic structural and functional interactions with neurons. Yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. A typical feature of astrocytes is the high expression of connexins, which mediate their extensive intercellular communication and regulate their structural properties. In particular, connexin 30 (Cx30), one of the two connexins abundantly expressed by astrocytes, was recently shown to be a critical regulator of excitatory synaptic transmission by controlling the astroglial coverage of synapses. However, the role of Cx30 in the regulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission and excitatory/inhibitory balance remains elusive. Here, we investigated the role of astroglial Cx30 on the electrophysiological and morphological properties of five classes of hippocampal CA1 stratum oriens and pyramidale neurons, defined by the unsupervised Ward's clustering. Using Cx30 knockout mice, we found that Cx30 alters specific properties of some subsets of CA1 interneurons, such as resting membrane potential and sag ratio, while other parameters, such as action potential threshold and saturation frequency, were more frequently altered among the different classes of neurons. The excitation-inhibition balance was also differentially and selectively modulated among the different neuron subtypes. Only slight morphological differences were observed on reconstructed neurons. Altogether, these data indicate that Cx30 differentially alters the electrophysiological and morphological properties of hippocampal cell populations, and modulates both their excitatory and inhibitory inputs. Astrocytes, via Cx30, are thus active modulators of both excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eléonore Hardy
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiopathology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche UMR 7241, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL-Research University, Paris, France
| | - Martine Cohen-Salmon
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche UMR 7241, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL-Research University, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Rouach
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiopathology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche UMR 7241, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL-Research University, Paris, France
| | - Armelle Rancillac
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiopathology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche UMR 7241, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL-Research University, Paris, France
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18
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Neagu A, Mocanu AI, Bonciu A, Coadă G, Mocanu H. Prevalence of GJB2 gene mutations correlated to presence of clinical and environmental risk factors in the etiology of congenital sensorineural hearing loss of the Romanian population. Exp Ther Med 2021; 21:612. [PMID: 33936269 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Although etiologically heterogeneous at least 50% of all early on-set hearing losses have a genetic cause and of these, the large majority, 75-80% are most probably autosomal recessive and 70% are non-syndromic. The rest of the congenital hearing losses are determined by clinical and environmental factors such as ototoxic medication, prematurity, and complications at birth. During the last decade it became clear that 50-80% of all such afflictions result from mutations in a single gene, GJB2, which encodes the protein Connexin 26. In order to, at least partially clarify this problem, especially in an emerging country such as Romania, where the problem is not studied adequately, we developed a comprehensive study of genetic, clinical and environmental risk factors for congenital hearing loss. The two most common variations of this gene, 35delG and W24X in children with positive diagnosis of bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss were investigated. A cohort of 34 children (20 female and 14 male), ages between 2 and 10 (mean age 4.62 years), coming from 33 non-related families were evaluated. All cases were diagnosed with severe or profound bilateral congenital SNHL. A statistical comparison of genetic and environmental/clinical prevalence was also attempted since the presence of a genetic disorder cannot rule out the role of other documented risk factors in the etiology of SNHL. The results showed that, 29.4% of cases (10/34) were homozygotic for the 35delG mutation 35delG/35delG), also known as genotype Δ/Δ. 5.88% of cases (2/34) belong to the heterozygotic bi-genic group 35delG/W24X. The clinical factors with high statistical significance for SNHL in a non-genetic group have no significance for genetic SNHL patients. Thus, the present study confirms the relatively high prevalence of the 35delG and W24X mutations in cases of congenital non-syndromic severe of profound bilateral SNHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Neagu
- Department of ENT&HNS, 'Marie S. Curie' Emergency Children Hospital Bucharest, 041434 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adela-Ioana Mocanu
- Department of ENT&HNS, Bucharest Emergency University Hospital, 050098 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandru Bonciu
- Department of ENT&HNS, 'Dr. Carol Davila' Central Military Emergency University Hospital, 010825 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Gabriella Coadă
- Department of ENT&HNS, 'Sfânta Maria' Clinical Hospital, 011172 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Horia Mocanu
- Department of ENT&HNS, Faculty of Medicine, 'Titu Maiorescu' University, 031593 Bucharest, Romania
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19
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Gentile G, Paciello F, Zorzi V, Spampinato AG, Guarnaccia M, Crispino G, Tettey-Matey A, Scavizzi F, Raspa M, Fetoni AR, Cavallaro S, Mammano F. miRNA and mRNA Profiling Links Connexin Deficiency to Deafness via Early Oxidative Damage in the Mouse Stria Vascularis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:616878. [PMID: 33569381 PMCID: PMC7868390 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.616878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic mutations in the non-syndromic hearing loss and deafness 1 (DFNB1) locus are the primary cause of monogenic inheritance for prelingual hearing loss. To unravel molecular pathways involved in etiopathology and look for early degeneration biomarkers, we used a system biology approach to analyze Cx30−/− mice at an early cochlear post-natal developmental stage. These mice are a DFNB1 mouse model with severely reduced expression levels of two connexins in the inner ear, Cx30, and Cx26. Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles in the cochleae of Cx30−/− mice at post-natal day 5 revealed the overexpression of five miRNAs (miR-34c, miR-29b, miR-29c, miR-141, and miR-181a) linked to apoptosis, oxidative stress, and cochlear degeneration, which have Sirt1 as a common target of transcriptional and/or post-transcriptional regulation. In young adult Cx30−/− mice (3 months of age), these alterations culminated with blood barrier disruption in the Stria vascularis (SV), which is known to have the highest aerobic metabolic rate of all cochlear structures and whose microvascular alterations contribute to age-related degeneration and progressive decline of auditory function. Our experimental validation of selected targets links hearing acquisition failure in Cx30−/− mice, early oxidative stress, and metabolic dysregulation to the activation of the Sirt1–p53 axis. This is the first integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA in the cochlea of the Cx30−/− mouse model, providing evidence that connexin downregulation determines a miRNA-mediated response which leads to chronic exhaustion of cochlear antioxidant defense mechanisms and consequent SV dysfunction. Our analyses support the notion that connexin dysfunction intervenes early on during development, causing vascular damage later on in life. This study identifies also early miRNA-mediated biomarkers of hearing impairment, either inherited or age related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Gentile
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Catania, Italy
| | - Fabiola Paciello
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica Zorzi
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Gianmaria Spampinato
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Catania, Italy.,Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Guarnaccia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Catania, Italy
| | - Giulia Crispino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rome, Italy
| | - Abraham Tettey-Matey
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rome, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Scavizzi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Raspa
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Rita Fetoni
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.,Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Catania, Italy
| | - Fabio Mammano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rome, Italy.,Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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20
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Peeleman N, Verdoodt D, Ponsaerts P, Van Rompaey V. On the Role of Fibrocytes and the Extracellular Matrix in the Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Spiral Ligament. Front Neurol 2020; 11:580639. [PMID: 33193034 PMCID: PMC7653186 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.580639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The spiral ligament in the cochlea has been suggested to play a significant role in the pathophysiology of different etiologies of strial hearing loss. Spiral ligament fibrocytes (SLFs), the main cell type in the lateral wall, are crucial in maintaining the endocochlear potential and regulating blood flow. SLF dysfunction can therefore cause cochlear dysfunction and thus hearing impairment. Recent studies have highlighted the role of SLFs in the immune response of the cochlea. In contrast to sensory cells in the inner ear, SLFs (more specifically type III fibrocytes) have also demonstrated the ability to regenerate after different types of trauma such as drug toxicity and noise. SLFs are responsible for producing proteins, such as collagen and cochlin, that create an adequate extracellular matrix to thrive in. Any dysfunction of SLFs or structural changes to the extracellular matrix can significantly impact hearing function. However, SLFs may prove useful in restoring hearing by their potential to regenerate cells in the spiral ligament.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Peeleman
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Dorien Verdoodt
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Peter Ponsaerts
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Vincent Van Rompaey
- Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
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21
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Cohen-Salmon M, Slaoui L, Mazaré N, Gilbert A, Oudart M, Alvear-Perez R, Elorza-Vidal X, Chever O, Boulay AC. Astrocytes in the regulation of cerebrovascular functions. Glia 2020; 69:817-841. [PMID: 33058289 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most numerous type of neuroglia in the brain and have a predominant influence on the cerebrovascular system; they control perivascular homeostasis, the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, the dialogue with the peripheral immune system, the transfer of metabolites from the blood, and blood vessel contractility in response to neuronal activity. These regulatory processes occur in a specialized interface composed of perivascular astrocyte extensions that almost completely cover the cerebral blood vessels. Scientists have only recently started to study how this interface is formed and how it influences cerebrovascular functions. Here, we review the literature on the astrocytes' role in the regulation of the cerebrovascular system. We cover the anatomy and development of the gliovascular interface, the known gliovascular functions, and molecular factors, the latter's implication in certain pathophysiological situations, and recent cutting-edge experimental tools developed to examine the astrocytes' role at the vascular interface. Finally, we highlight some open questions in this field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Cohen-Salmon
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Leila Slaoui
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Noémie Mazaré
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Alice Gilbert
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Marc Oudart
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Rodrigo Alvear-Perez
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Xabier Elorza-Vidal
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Oana Chever
- Normandie University, UNIROUEN, INSERM, DC2N, IRIB, Rouen, France
| | - Anne-Cécile Boulay
- Physiology and Physiopathology of the Gliovascular Unit Research Group, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), College de France, CNRS Unité Mixte de Recherche 724, INSERM Unité 1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, Paris, France
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22
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Zhang L, Wu X, Lin X. Gene therapy for genetic mutations affecting non-sensory cells in the cochlea. Hear Res 2020; 394:107858. [PMID: 31791650 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.107858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Congenital hearing loss (HL) affects about 1 in every 500 infants. Among those affected more than half are caused by genetic mutations. According to the cellular sites affected by mutations in the cochlea, deafness genes could be classified into three major groups: those affecting the function of hair cells and synapses, cochlear supporting cells, and cells in the stria vascularis (SV) as well as in the lateral wall. The second and third groups account for more than half of all sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) cases caused by genetic mutations. Current major treatment options for SNHL patients are hearing aids and cochlear implants (CIs). Hearing aids can only help patients with moderate to severe HL. Resolution of CIs is still improving and these devices are quite expensive especially when lifetime rehabilitation and maintenance costs are included. Tremendous efforts have been made to find novel treatments that are expected to restore hearing with higher-resolution and more natural quality, and to have a significantly lower cost over the lifetime of uses. Gene therapy studies have made impressive progresses in preclinical trials. This review focuses on deafness genes that affect supporting cells and cells in the SV of the cochlea. We will discuss recent progresses and remaining challenges for gene therapies targeting mutations in deafness genes belonging to this category.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China; Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322-3030, USA
| | - Xuewen Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China; Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322-3030, USA
| | - Xi Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322-3030, USA.
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23
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Chen B, Xu H, Mi Y, Jiang W, Guo D, Zhang J, Zhao Y, Tang W. Mechanisms of hearing loss and cell death in the cochlea of connexin mutant mice. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2020; 319:C569-C578. [PMID: 32755449 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00483.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in connexin 30 (Cx30) are known to cause severe congenital hearing impairment; however, the mechanism by which Cx30 mediates homeostasis of endocochlear gap junctions is unclear. We used a gene deletion mouse model to explore the mechanisms of Cx30 in preventing hearing loss. Our results suggest that despite severe loss of the auditory brain-stem response and endocochlear potential at postnatal day 18, Cx30-/- mice only show sporadic loss of the outer hair cells. This inconsistency in the time course and severity of hearing and hair cell losses in Cx30-/- mice might be explained, in part, by an increase in reactive oxygen species generation beginning at postnatal day 10. The expression of oxidative stress genes was increased in Cx30-/- mice in the stria vascularis, spiral ligament, and organ of Corti. Furthermore, Cx30 deficiency caused mitochondrial dysfunction at postnatal day 18, as assessed by decreased ATP levels and decreased expression of mitochondrial complex I proteins, especially in the stria vascularis. Proteomic analysis further identified 444 proteins that were dysregulated in Cx30-/- mice, including several that are involved in mitochondria electron transport, ATP synthesis, or ion transport. Additionally, proapoptotic proteins, including Bax, Bad, and caspase-3, were upregulated at postnatal day 18, providing a molecular basis to explain the loss of hearing that occurs before hair cell loss. Therefore, our results are consistent with an environment of oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in the cochlea of Cx30-/- mice that is coincident with hearing loss but precedes hair cell loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Chen
- Department of Otology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongen Xu
- Center for Precision Medicine of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanfang Mi
- Department of Otolaryngology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Center for Precision Medicine of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dan Guo
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinhui Zhang
- Department of Otology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yulin Zhao
- Department of Otology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenxue Tang
- Center for Precision Medicine of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of Otolaryngology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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24
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Ghézali G, Vasile F, Curry N, Fantham M, Cheung G, Ezan P, Cohen-Salmon M, Kaminski C, Rouach N. Neuronal Activity Drives Astroglial Connexin 30 in Perisynaptic Processes and Shapes Its Functions. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:753-766. [PMID: 31271200 PMCID: PMC7086174 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play key roles in brain functions through dynamic interactions with neurons. One of their typical features is to express high levels of connexins (Cxs), Cx43 and Cx30, the gap junction (GJ)-forming proteins. Cx30 is involved in basic cognitive processes and shapes synaptic and network activities, as shown by recent studies in transgenic animals. Yet it remains unknown whether astroglial Cx30 expression, localization, and functions are endogenously and dynamically regulated by neuronal activity and could therefore play physiological roles in neurotransmission. We here show that neuronal activity increased hippocampal Cx30 protein levels via a posttranslational mechanism regulating lysosomal degradation. Neuronal activity also increased Cx30 protein levels at membranes and perisynaptic processes, as revealed by superresolution imaging. This translated at the functional level in the activation of Cx30 hemichannels and in Cx30-mediated remodeling of astrocyte morphology independently of GJ biochemical coupling. Altogether, these data show activity-dependent dynamics of Cx30 expression, perisynaptic localization, and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grégory Ghézali
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
- Doctoral School N° 158, Pierre and Marie Curie University, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Flora Vasile
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
- Doctoral School N°474, Rene Descartes University, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Nathan Curry
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, UK
| | - Marcus Fantham
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, UK
| | - Giselle Cheung
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pascal Ezan
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Martine Cohen-Salmon
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Clemens Kaminski
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, UK
| | - Nathalie Rouach
- Neuroglial Interactions in Cerebral Physiology, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Labex Memolife, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
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25
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Pandya A, O'Brien A, Kovasala M, Bademci G, Tekin M, Arnos KS. Analyses of del(GJB6-D13S1830) and del(GJB6-D13S1834) deletions in a large cohort with hearing loss: Caveats to interpretation of molecular test results in multiplex families. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2020; 8:e1171. [PMID: 32067424 PMCID: PMC7196463 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations involving the closely linked GJB2 and GJB6 at the DFNB1 locus are a common genetic cause of profound congenital hearing loss in many populations. In some deaf GJB2 heterozygotes, a 309 kb deletion involving the GJB6 has been found to be the cause for hearing loss when inherited in trans to a GJB2 mutation. METHODS We screened 2,376 probands from a National DNA Repository of deaf individuals. RESULTS Fifty-two of 318 heterozygous probands with pathogenic GJB2 sequence variants had a GJB6 deletion. Additionally, eight probands had an isolated heterozygous GJB6 deletion that did not explain their hearing loss. In two deaf subjects, including one proband, a homozygous GJB6 deletion was the cause for their hearing loss, a rare occurrence not reported to date. CONCLUSION This study represents the largest US cohort of deaf individuals harboring GJB2 and GJB6 variants, including unique subsets of families with deaf parents. Testing additional members to clarify the phase of GJB2/GJB6 variants in multiplex families was crucial in interpreting clinical significance of the variants in the proband. It highlights the importance of determining the phase of GJB2/GJB6 variants when interpreting molecular test results especially in multiplex families with assortative mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arti Pandya
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Metabolism, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexander O'Brien
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Metabolism, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael Kovasala
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Metabolism, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Guney Bademci
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mustafa Tekin
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Kathleen S Arnos
- Department of Science, Technology, & Mathematics, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC, USA
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26
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Falah M, Houshmand M, Balali M, Asghari A, Bagher Z, Alizadeh R, Farhadi M. Role of GJB2 and GJB6 in Iranian Nonsyndromic Hearing Impairment: From Molecular Analysis to Literature Reviews. Fetal Pediatr Pathol 2020; 39:1-12. [PMID: 31215297 DOI: 10.1080/15513815.2019.1627625] [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] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background: Hearing impairment (HI) is a heterogeneous disorder. GJB2 and GJB6 genes are typically the first line of genetic screening before proceeding to any massive parallel sequencing. We evaluated the clinical utility of GJB2 and GJB6 testing in the Iranian population. Methods: GJB2 and GJB6 were sequenced. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for Iranian publications on deletions in the DFNB1 locus. Results: We detected mutations of GJB2 in 16.5%, and no mutations of GJB6. Literature review revealed no reports of mutations of GJB6 in the Iranian population. Conclusion: This data and literature reviews indicate that GJB6 is not commonly responsible for Iranian nonsyndromic HI. Hence, the clinical utility of GJB6 genetic analysis as a first line for HI evaluation does not have the same utility as GJB2. The study is consistent with recent studies emphasizing the role of ethnicity in the selection of HI genetic testing strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Falah
- ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Institute, Hazrat Rasool Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Massoud Houshmand
- ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Institute, Hazrat Rasool Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.,Department of Medical Genetics, National Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Maryam Balali
- ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Institute, Hazrat Rasool Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Alimohamad Asghari
- Skull Base Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Zohreh Bagher
- ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Institute, Hazrat Rasool Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Rafieh Alizadeh
- ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Institute, Hazrat Rasool Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Mohammad Farhadi
- ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Institute, Hazrat Rasool Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
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27
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Wu X, Zhang W, Li Y, Lin X. Structure and Function of Cochlear Gap Junctions and Implications for the Translation of Cochlear Gene Therapies. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:529. [PMID: 31827424 PMCID: PMC6892400 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Connexins (Cxs) are ubiquitous membrane proteins that are found throughout vertebrate organs, acting as building blocks of the gap junctions (GJs) known to play vital roles in the normal function of many organs. Mutations in Cx genes (particularly GJB2, which encodes Cx26) cause approximately half of all cases of congenital hearing loss in newborns. Great progress has been made in understanding GJ function and the molecular mechanisms for the role of Cxs in the cochlea. Data reveal that multiple types of Cxs work together to ensure normal development and function of the cochlea. These findings include many aspects not proposed in the classic K+ recycling theory, such as the formation of normal cochlear morphology (e.g., the opening of the tunnel of Corti), the fine-tuning of the innervation of nerve fibers to the hair cells (HCs), the maturation of the ribbon synapses, and the initiation of the endocochlear potential (EP). New data, especially those collected from targeted modification of major Cx genes in the mouse cochlea, have demonstrated that Cx26 plays an essential role in the postnatal maturation of the cochlea. Studies also show that Cx26 and Cx30 assume very different roles in the EP generation, given that only Cx26 is required for normal hearing. This article will review our current understanding of the molecular structure, cellular distribution, and major functions of cochlear GJs. Potential implications of the knowledge of cochlear GJs on the design and implementation of translational studies of cochlear gene therapies for Cx mutations are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewen Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head-Neck and Surgery, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Wenjuan Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Wuhan Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yihui Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Changsha Hospital of Traditional Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Xi Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Talbi S, Bonnet C, Boudjenah F, Mansouri MT, Petit C, Ammar Khodja F. The spectrum of GJB2 gene mutations in Algerian families with nonsyndromic hearing loss from Sahara and Kabylie regions. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2019; 124:157-160. [PMID: 31200317 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2019.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION DFNB1, caused by mutations of GJB2 or GJB6, is the most prevalent genetic form of nonsyndromic (i.e., isolated) congenital deafness in countries located around the Mediterranean Sea. Because some mutations are restricted to specific ethnic-geographic groups, we studied the prevalence and spectrum of GJB2/GJB6 mutations in deaf patients originating from two different Algerian regions, Kabylie and Sahara. PATIENTS AND METHODS Among 91 reportedly unrelated Algerian patients affected by prelingual deafness, 80 patients (41 from Kabylie and 39 from Sahara) were diagnosed with isolated deafness. All had profound deafness, except one patient with mild deafness. They were screened for the presence of GJB2 mutations by direct sequencing of the single coding exon of GJB2. Patients without mutations were then screened for the presence of the most frequent two deletions of GJB6: del(GJB6-D13S1854) and del(GJB6-D13S1830). RESULTS Causative mutations were found in 13 and 8 patients from Kabylie and Sahara, respectively, accounting for more than a quarter of the cohort. The c.35delG, p.Gly12Valfs*2 mutation remains the most important mutation both in Kabylie (10 patients) and Sahara (7 patients). All detected patients were homozygous for this mutation. In addition, two other mutations (c.139G > T, p.Glu47* and c.167delT, p.Leu56Argfs*26) were found homozygous in one family each, and two patients were compound heterozygotes for (c.35delG p.Gly12Valfs*2/c.139G > T, p.Glu47*). No deletion of GJB6 was detected. CONCLUSION We confirm that mutations in GJB2, mainly c.35delG, are one of the most prevalent causes of nonsyndromic congenital deafness in Algeria, whereas the del (GJB6-D13S1854) and del (GJB6-D13S1830) deletions of GJB6 contribute little, if any. Further investigation is needed to identify the cause of deafness in other patients without diagnostic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Talbi
- Equipe de Génétique, Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene (USTHB), POB32 ElAlia, 16111, Bab Ezzouar, Alger, Algeria.
| | - Crystel Bonnet
- Inserm UMRS 1120, Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Farid Boudjenah
- Service d'Otorhinolaryngologie (ORL), Hôpital de Frantz fanon, Bejaia, Algeria; Service d'Otorhinolaryngologie (ORL), Hôpital Sidi Belloua, Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria
| | | | - Christine Petit
- Inserm UMRS 1120, Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Institut Pasteur, Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Fatima Ammar Khodja
- Equipe de Génétique, Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene (USTHB), POB32 ElAlia, 16111, Bab Ezzouar, Alger, Algeria
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Mammano F. Inner Ear Connexin Channels: Roles in Development and Maintenance of Cochlear Function. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2019; 9:a033233. [PMID: 30181354 PMCID: PMC6601451 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a033233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Connexin 26 and connexin 30 are the prevailing isoforms in the epithelial and connective tissue gap junction systems of the developing and mature cochlea. The most frequently encountered variants of the genes that encode these connexins, which are transcriptionally coregulated, determine complete loss of protein function and are the predominant cause of prelingual hereditary deafness. Reducing connexin 26 expression by Cre/loxP recombination in the inner ear of adult mice results in a decreased endocochlear potential, increased hearing thresholds, and loss of >90% of outer hair cells, indicating that this connexin is essential for maintenance of cochlear function. In the developing cochlea, connexins are necessary for intercellular calcium signaling activity. Ribbon synapses and basolateral membrane currents fail to mature in inner hair cells of mice that are born with reduced connexin expression, even though hair cells do not express any connexin. In contrast, pannexin 1, an alternative mediator of intercellular signaling, is dispensable for hearing acquisition and auditory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Mammano
- University of Padova, Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei," Padova 35129, Italy
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
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30
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Ceriani F, Hendry A, Jeng JY, Johnson SL, Stephani F, Olt J, Holley MC, Mammano F, Engel J, Kros CJ, Simmons DD, Marcotti W. Coordinated calcium signalling in cochlear sensory and non-sensory cells refines afferent innervation of outer hair cells. EMBO J 2019; 38:embj.201899839. [PMID: 30804003 PMCID: PMC6484507 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201899839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Outer hair cells (OHCs) are highly specialized sensory cells conferring the fine‐tuning and high sensitivity of the mammalian cochlea to acoustic stimuli. Here, by genetically manipulating spontaneous Ca2+ signalling in mice in vivo, through a period of early postnatal development, we find that the refinement of OHC afferent innervation is regulated by complementary spontaneous Ca2+ signals originating in OHCs and non‐sensory cells. OHCs fire spontaneous Ca2+ action potentials during a narrow period of neonatal development. Simultaneously, waves of Ca2+ activity in the non‐sensory cells of the greater epithelial ridge cause, via ATP‐induced activation of P2X3 receptors, the increase and synchronization of the Ca2+ activity in nearby OHCs. This synchronization is required for the refinement of their immature afferent innervation. In the absence of connexin channels, Ca2+ waves are impaired, leading to a reduction in the number of ribbon synapses and afferent fibres on OHCs. We propose that the correct maturation of the afferent connectivity of OHCs requires experience‐independent Ca2+ signals from sensory and non‐sensory cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ceriani
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Aenea Hendry
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jing-Yi Jeng
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Stuart L Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Friederike Stephani
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Jennifer Olt
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Matthew C Holley
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Fabio Mammano
- Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padua, Padova, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Italian National Research Council, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Jutta Engel
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Corné J Kros
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | | | - Walter Marcotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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31
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Kelly JJ, Abitbol JM, Hulme S, Press ER, Laird DW, Allman BL. The connexin 30 A88V mutant reduces cochlear gap junction expression and confers long-term protection against hearing loss. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:jcs.224097. [PMID: 30559251 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.224097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the genes that encode the gap junction proteins connexin 26 (Cx26, encoded by GJB2) and Cx30 (GJB6) are the leading cause of hereditary hearing loss. That said, the Cx30 p.Ala88Val (A88V) mutant causes Clouston syndrome, but not hearing loss. Here, we report that the Cx30-A88V mutant, despite being toxic to inner ear-derived HEI-OC1 cells, conferred remarkable long-term protection against age-related high frequency hearing loss in Cx30A88V/A88V mice. During early development, there were no overt structural differences in the cochlea between genotypes, including a normal complement of hair cells; however, the supporting cell Cx30 gap junction plaques in mutant mice were reduced in size. In adulthood, Cx30A88V/A88V mutant mice had a reduction of cochlear Cx30 mRNA and protein, yet a full complement of hair cells. Conversely, the age-related high frequency hearing loss in Cx30+/+ and Cx30+/A88V mice was due to extensive loss of outer hair cells. Our data suggest that the Cx30-A88V mutant confers long-term hearing protection and prevention of hair cell death, possibly via a feedback mechanism that leads to the reduction of total Cx30 gap junction expression in the cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Kelly
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Julia M Abitbol
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Stephanie Hulme
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Eric R Press
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Dale W Laird
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Brian L Allman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada
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Abstract
The connexin family of channel-forming proteins is present in every tissue type in the human anatomy. Connexins are best known for forming clustered intercellular channels, structurally known as gap junctions, where they serve to exchange members of the metabolome between adjacent cells. In their single-membrane hemichannel form, connexins can act as conduits for the passage of small molecules in autocrine and paracrine signalling. Here, we review the roles of connexins in health and disease, focusing on the potential of connexins as therapeutic targets in acquired and inherited diseases as well as wound repair, while highlighting the associated clinical challenges.
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33
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Fetoni AR, Zorzi V, Paciello F, Ziraldo G, Peres C, Raspa M, Scavizzi F, Salvatore AM, Crispino G, Tognola G, Gentile G, Spampinato AG, Cuccaro D, Guarnaccia M, Morello G, Van Camp G, Fransen E, Brumat M, Girotto G, Paludetti G, Gasparini P, Cavallaro S, Mammano F. Cx26 partial loss causes accelerated presbycusis by redox imbalance and dysregulation of Nfr2 pathway. Redox Biol 2018; 19:301-317. [PMID: 30199819 PMCID: PMC6129666 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in GJB2, the gene that encodes connexin 26 (Cx26), are the most common cause of sensorineural hearing impairment. The truncating variant 35delG, which determines a complete loss of Cx26 protein function, is the prevalent GJB2 mutation in several populations. Here, we generated and analyzed Gjb2+/- mice as a model of heterozygous human carriers of 35delG. Compared to control mice, auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) worsened over time more rapidly in Gjb2+/- mice, indicating they were affected by accelerated age-related hearing loss (ARHL), or presbycusis. We linked causally the auditory phenotype of Gjb2+/- mice to apoptosis and oxidative damage in the cochlear duct, reduced release of glutathione from connexin hemichannels, decreased nutrient delivery to the sensory epithelium via cochlear gap junctions and deregulated expression of genes that are under transcriptional control of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a pivotal regulator of tolerance to redox stress. Moreover, a statistically significant genome-wide association with two genes (PRKCE and TGFB1) related to the Nrf2 pathway (p-value < 4 × 10-2) was detected in a very large cohort of 4091 individuals, originating from Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, with hearing phenotype (including 1076 presbycusis patients and 1290 healthy matched controls). We conclude that (i) elements of the Nrf2 pathway are essential for hearing maintenance and (ii) their dysfunction may play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of human presbycusis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rita Fetoni
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy; Institute of Otolaryngology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica Zorzi
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiola Paciello
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Gaia Ziraldo
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Peres
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy
| | - Marcello Raspa
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy
| | | | | | - Giulia Crispino
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy
| | - Gabriella Tognola
- CNR Institute of Electronics, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Giulia Gentile
- CNR Institute of Neurological Sciences, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | | | - Denis Cuccaro
- CNR Institute of Neurological Sciences, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | | | | | - Guy Van Camp
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Erik Fransen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2650 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marco Brumat
- Dept Med Surg & Hlth Sci, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Inst Maternal & Child Hlth, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giorgia Girotto
- Dept Med Surg & Hlth Sci, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Inst Maternal & Child Hlth, Trieste, Italy
| | - Gaetano Paludetti
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy; Institute of Otolaryngology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Gasparini
- Dept Med Surg & Hlth Sci, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Inst Maternal & Child Hlth, Trieste, Italy.
| | | | - Fabio Mammano
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo 00015, Italy; University of Padova, Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", Padova, Italy.
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Delmar M, Laird DW, Naus CC, Nielsen MS, Verselis VK, White TW. Connexins and Disease. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2018; 10:cshperspect.a029348. [PMID: 28778872 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a029348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Inherited or acquired alterations in the structure and function of connexin proteins have long been associated with disease. In the present work, we review current knowledge on the role of connexins in diseases associated with the heart, nervous system, cochlea, and skin, as well as cancer and pleiotropic syndromes such as oculodentodigital dysplasia (ODDD). Although incomplete by virtue of space and the extent of the topic, this review emphasizes the fact that connexin function is not only associated with gap junction channel formation. As such, both canonical and noncanonical functions of connexins are fundamental components in the pathophysiology of multiple connexin related disorders, many of them highly debilitating and life threatening. Improved understanding of connexin biology has the potential to advance our understanding of mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Delmar
- The Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016
| | - Dale W Laird
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A5C1, Canada
| | - Christian C Naus
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Morten S Nielsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
| | - Vytautas K Verselis
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York 10461
| | - Thomas W White
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11790
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35
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Engraftment of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Progenitors in the Inner Ear of Prenatal Mice. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1941. [PMID: 29386634 PMCID: PMC5792596 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20277-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
There is, at present, no curative treatment for genetic hearing loss. We have previously reported that transuterine gene transfer of wild type CONNEXIN30 (CX30) genes into otocysts in CX30-deleted mice could restore hearing. Cell transplantation therapy might be another therapeutic option, although it is still unknown whether stem cell-derived progenitor cells could migrate into mouse otocysts. Here, we show successful cell transplantation of progenitors of outer sulcus cell-like cells derived from human-derived induced pluripotent stem cells into mouse otocysts on embryonic day 11.5. The delivered cells engrafted more frequently in the non-sensory region in the inner ear of CX30-deleted mice than in wild type mice and survived for up to 1 week after transplantation. Some of the engrafted cells expressed CX30 proteins in the non-sensory region. This is the first report that demonstrates successful engraftment of exogenous cells in prenatal developing otocysts in mice. Future studies using this mouse otocystic injection model in vivo will provide further clues for developing treatment modalities for congenital hearing loss in humans.
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36
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del Castillo FJ, del Castillo I. DFNB1 Non-syndromic Hearing Impairment: Diversity of Mutations and Associated Phenotypes. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:428. [PMID: 29311818 PMCID: PMC5743749 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The inner ear is a very complex sensory organ whose development and function depend on finely balanced interactions among diverse cell types. The many different kinds of inner ear supporting cells play the essential roles of providing physical and physiological support to sensory hair cells and of maintaining cochlear homeostasis. Appropriately enough, the gene most commonly mutated among subjects with hereditary hearing impairment (HI), GJB2, encodes the connexin-26 (Cx26) gap-junction channel protein that underlies both intercellular communication among supporting cells and homeostasis of the cochlear fluids, endolymph and perilymph. GJB2 lies at the DFNB1 locus on 13q12. The specific kind of HI associated with this locus is caused by recessively-inherited mutations that inactivate the two alleles of the GJB2 gene, either in homozygous or compound heterozygous states. We describe the many diverse classes of genetic alterations that result in DFNB1 HI, such as large deletions that either destroy the GJB2 gene or remove a regulatory element essential for GJB2 expression, point mutations that interfere with promoter function or splicing, and small insertions or deletions and nucleotide substitutions that target the GJB2 coding sequence. We focus on how these alterations disrupt GJB2 and Cx26 functions and on their different effects on cochlear development and physiology. We finally discuss the diversity of clinical features of DFNB1 HI as regards severity, age of onset, inner ear malformations and vestibular dysfunction, highlighting the areas where future research should be concentrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. del Castillo
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio del Castillo
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
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37
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Zorzi V, Paciello F, Ziraldo G, Peres C, Mazzarda F, Nardin C, Pasquini M, Chiani F, Raspa M, Scavizzi F, Carrer A, Crispino G, Ciubotaru CD, Monyer H, Fetoni AR, M Salvatore A, Mammano F. Mouse Panx1 Is Dispensable for Hearing Acquisition and Auditory Function. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:379. [PMID: 29234270 PMCID: PMC5712377 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Panx1 forms plasma membrane channels in brain and several other organs, including the inner ear. Biophysical properties, activation mechanisms and modulators of Panx1 channels have been characterized in detail, however the impact of Panx1 on auditory function is unclear due to conflicts in published results. To address this issue, hearing performance and cochlear function of the Panx1−/− mouse strain, the first with a reported global ablation of Panx1, were scrutinized. Male and female homozygous (Panx1−/−), hemizygous (Panx1+/−) and their wild type (WT) siblings (Panx1+/+) were used for this study. Successful ablation of Panx1 was confirmed by RT-PCR and Western immunoblotting in the cochlea and brain of Panx1−/− mice. Furthermore, a previously validated Panx1-selective antibody revealed strong immunoreactivity in WT but not in Panx1−/− cochleae. Hearing sensitivity, outer hair cell-based “cochlear amplifier” and cochlear nerve function, analyzed by auditory brainstem response (ABR) and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) recordings, were normal in Panx1+/− and Panx1−/− mice. In addition, we determined that global deletion of Panx1 impacts neither on connexin expression, nor on gap-junction coupling in the developing organ of Corti. Finally, spontaneous intercellular Ca2+ signal (ICS) activity in organotypic cochlear cultures, which is key to postnatal development of the organ of Corti and essential for hearing acquisition, was not affected by Panx1 ablation. Therefore, our results provide strong evidence that, in mice, Panx1 is dispensable for hearing acquisition and auditory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Zorzi
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy.,School of Medicine, Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiola Paciello
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Gaia Ziraldo
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy.,School of Medicine, Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Peres
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Flavia Mazzarda
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy.,Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Nardin
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy.,Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Miriam Pasquini
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy.,Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Chiani
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Marcello Raspa
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Carrer
- Department of Physics and Astronomy G. Galilei, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Giulia Crispino
- Department of Physics and Astronomy G. Galilei, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Hannah Monyer
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology, Deutches Krebforschungzentrum, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna R Fetoni
- School of Medicine, Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna M Salvatore
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Fabio Mammano
- CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Monterotondo, Italy.,Department of Physics and Astronomy G. Galilei, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.,Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
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Mao B, Moss CF, Wilkinson GS. Age-dependent gene expression in the inner ear of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186667. [PMID: 29073148 PMCID: PMC5658057 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
For echolocating bats, hearing is essential for survival. Specializations for detecting and processing high frequency sounds are apparent throughout their auditory systems. Recent studies on echolocating mammals have reported evidence of parallel evolution in some hearing-related genes in which distantly related groups of echolocating animals (bats and toothed whales), cluster together in gene trees due to apparent amino acid convergence. However, molecular adaptations can occur not only in coding sequences, but also in the regulation of gene expression. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of hearing-related genes in the inner ear of developing big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus, during the period in which echolocation vocalizations increase dramatically in frequency. We found that seven genes were significantly upregulated in juveniles relative to adults, and that the expression of four genes through development correlated with estimated age. Compared to available data for mice, it appears that expression of some hearing genes is extended in juvenile bats. These results are consistent with a prolonged growth period required to develop larger cochlea relative to body size, a later maturation of high frequency hearing, and a greater dependence on high frequency hearing in echolocating bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Mao
- Department of Biology, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cynthia F. Moss
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Gerald S. Wilkinson
- Department of Biology, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
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Verselis VK. Connexin hemichannels and cochlear function. Neurosci Lett 2017; 695:40-45. [PMID: 28917982 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Connexins play vital roles in hearing, including promoting cochlear development and sustaining auditory function in the mature cochlea. Mutations in connexins expressed in the cochlear epithelium, Cx26 and Cx30, cause sensorineural deafness and in the case of Cx26, is one of the most common causes of non-syndromic, hereditary deafness. Connexins function as gap junction channels and as hemichannels, which mediate intercellular and transmembrane signaling, respectively. Both channel configurations can play important, but very different roles in the cochlea. The potential roles connexin hemichannels can play are discussed both in normal cochlear function and in promoting pathogenesis that can lead to hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vytas K Verselis
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, United States.
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Mei L, Chen J, Zong L, Zhu Y, Liang C, Jones RO, Zhao HB. A deafness mechanism of digenic Cx26 (GJB2) and Cx30 (GJB6) mutations: Reduction of endocochlear potential by impairment of heterogeneous gap junctional function in the cochlear lateral wall. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 108:195-203. [PMID: 28823936 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Digenic Connexin26 (Cx26, GJB2) and Cx30 (GJB6) heterozygous mutations are the second most frequent cause of recessive deafness in humans. However, the underlying deafness mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we created different double Cx26 and Cx30 heterozygous (Cx26+/-/Cx30+/-) mouse models to investigate the underlying pathological changes and deafness mechanism. We found that double Cx26+/-/Cx30+/- heterozygous mice had hearing loss. Endocochlear potential (EP), which is a driving force for hair cells producing auditory receptor current, was reduced. However, unlike Cx26 homozygous knockout (Cx26-/-) mice, the cochlea in Cx26+/-/Cx30+/- mice displayed normal development and had no apparent hair cell degeneration. Gap junctions (GJs) in the cochlea form two independent networks: the epithelial cell GJ network in the organ of Corti and the connective tissue GJ network in the cochlear lateral wall. We further found that double heterozygous deletion of Cx26 and Cx30 in the epithelial cells did not reduce EP and had normal hearing, suggesting that Cx26+/-/Cx30+/- may mainly impair gap junctional functions in the cochlear lateral wall and lead to EP reduction and hearing loss. Most of Cx26 and Cx30 in the cochlear lateral wall co-expressed in the same gap junctional plaques. Moreover, sole Cx26+/- or Cx30+/- heterozygous mice had no hearing loss. These data further suggest that digenic Cx26 and Cx30 mutations may impair heterozygous coupling of Cx26 and Cx30 in the cochlear lateral wall to reduce EP, thereby leading to hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Mei
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Jin Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Liang Zong
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing 100853, PR China
| | - Yan Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Chun Liang
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Raleigh O Jones
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Hong-Bo Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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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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Connexin-Mediated Signaling in Nonsensory Cells Is Crucial for the Development of Sensory Inner Hair Cells in the Mouse Cochlea. J Neurosci 2017; 37:258-268. [PMID: 28077706 PMCID: PMC5242392 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2251-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the genes encoding for gap junction proteins connexin 26 (Cx26) and connexin 30 (Cx30) have been linked to syndromic and nonsyndromic hearing loss in mice and humans. The release of ATP from connexin hemichannels in cochlear nonsensory cells has been proposed to be the main trigger for action potential activity in immature sensory inner hair cells (IHCs), which is crucial for the refinement of the developing auditory circuitry. Using connexin knock-out mice, we show that IHCs fire spontaneous action potentials even in the absence of ATP-dependent intercellular Ca2+ signaling in the nonsensory cells. However, this signaling from nonsensory cells was able to increase the intrinsic IHC firing frequency. We also found that connexin expression is key to IHC functional maturation. In Cx26 conditional knock-out mice (Cx26Sox10-Cre), the maturation of IHCs, which normally occurs at approximately postnatal day 12, was partially prevented. Although Cx30 has been shown not to be required for hearing in young adult mice, IHCs from Cx30 knock-out mice exhibited a comprehensive brake in their development, such that their basolateral membrane currents and synaptic machinery retain a prehearing phenotype. We propose that IHC functional differentiation into mature sensory receptors is initiated in the prehearing cochlea provided that the expression of either connexin reaches a threshold level. As such, connexins regulate one of the most crucial functional refinements in the mammalian cochlea, the disruption of which contributes to the deafness phenotype observed in mice and DFNB1 patients. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The correct development and function of the mammalian cochlea relies not only on the sensory hair cells, but also on the surrounding nonsensory cells. Although the nonsensory cells have been largely implicated in the general homeostasis in the mature cochlea, their involvement in the initial functional differentiation of the sensory inner hair cells is less clear. Using mutant mouse models for the most common form of congenital deafness in humans, which are knock-outs for the gap-junction channels connexin 26 and connexin 30 genes, we show that defects in nonsensory cells prevented the functional maturation of inner hair cells. In connexin knock-outs, inner hair cells remained stuck at a prehearing stage of development and, as such, are unable to process sound information.
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Liu W, Li H, Edin F, Brännström J, Glueckert R, Schrott-Fischer A, Molnar M, Pacholsky D, Pfaller K, Rask-Andersen H. Molecular composition and distribution of gap junctions in the sensory epithelium of the human cochlea-a super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SR-SIM) study. Ups J Med Sci 2017; 122:160-170. [PMID: 28513246 PMCID: PMC5649321 DOI: 10.1080/03009734.2017.1322645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations in the GJB2 gene, which encodes the Connexin26 (Cx26) protein, are the most common cause of childhood hearing loss in American and European populations. The cochlea contains a gap junction (GJ) network in the sensory epithelium and two connective tissue networks in the lateral wall and spiral limbus. The syncytia contain the GJ proteins beta 2 (GJB2/Cx26) and beta 6 (GJB6/Cx30). Our knowledge of their expression in humans is insufficient due to the limited availability of tissue. Here, we sought to establish the molecular arrangement of GJs in the epithelial network of the human cochlea using surgically obtained samples. METHODS We analyzed Cx26 and Cx30 expression in GJ networks in well-preserved adult human auditory sensory epithelium using confocal, electron, and super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SR-SIM). RESULTS Cx30 plaques (<5 μm) dominated, while Cx26 plaques were subtle and appeared as 'mini-junctions' (2-300 nm). 3-D volume rendering of Z-stacks and orthogonal projections from single optical sections suggested that the GJs are homomeric/homotypic and consist of assemblies of identical GJs composed of either Cx26 or Cx30. Occasionally, the two protein types were co-expressed, suggesting functional cooperation. CONCLUSIONS Establishing the molecular composition and distribution of the GJ networks in the human cochlea may increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of Cx-related hearing loss. This information may also assist in developing future strategies to treat genetic hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Fredrik Edin
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Johan Brännström
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, The Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Rudolf Glueckert
- Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria;
| | | | - Matyas Molnar
- Science for Life Laboratory, BioVis Facility, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Dirk Pacholsky
- Science for Life Laboratory, BioVis Facility, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Kristian Pfaller
- Department of Histology and Molecular Cell Biology, Institute of Anatomy and Histology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Helge Rask-Andersen
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden;
- CONTACT Helge Rask-Andersen Department of Surgical Sciences, Head and Neck Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology, Uppsala University Hospital, SE-751 85, Uppsala, Sweden
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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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A connexin30 mutation rescues hearing and reveals roles for gap junctions in cochlear amplification and micromechanics. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14530. [PMID: 28220769 PMCID: PMC5321796 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Accelerated age-related hearing loss disrupts high-frequency hearing in inbred CD-1 mice. The p.Ala88Val (A88V) mutation in the gene coding for the gap-junction protein connexin30 (Cx30) protects the cochlear basal turn of adult CD-1Cx30A88V/A88V mice from degeneration and rescues hearing. Here we report that the passive compliance of the cochlear partition and active frequency tuning of the basilar membrane are enhanced in the cochleae of CD-1Cx30A88V/A88V compared to CBA/J mice with sensitive high-frequency hearing, suggesting that gap junctions contribute to passive cochlear mechanics and energy distribution in the active cochlea. Surprisingly, the endocochlear potential that drives mechanoelectrical transduction currents in outer hair cells and hence cochlear amplification is greatly reduced in CD-1Cx30A88V/A88V mice. Yet, the saturating amplitudes of cochlear microphonic potentials in CD-1Cx30A88V/A88V and CBA/J mice are comparable. Although not conclusive, these results are compatible with the proposal that transmembrane potentials, determined mainly by extracellular potentials, drive somatic electromotility of outer hair cells. A point mutation in the gap-junction protein connexin 30 stops early onset age-related hearing loss. Here, the authors show that gap junctions contribute to cochlear micromechanics and that cochlear amplification is likely controlled by extracellular potentials in vicinity of the cochlear sensory cells.
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Super-resolution structured illumination fluorescence microscopy of the lateral wall of the cochlea: the Connexin26/30 proteins are separately expressed in man. Cell Tissue Res 2016; 365:13-27. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-016-2359-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Burke WF, Warnecke A, Schöner-Heinisch A, Lesinski-Schiedat A, Maier H, Lenarz T. Prevalence and audiological profiles of GJB2 mutations in a large collective of hearing impaired patients. Hear Res 2016; 333:77-86. [PMID: 26778469 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2016.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the GJB2 gene are known to represent the commonest cause of hereditary and congenital hearing loss. In this study, a complete sequencing of the GJB2 gene in a cohort of 506 patients from a single, large cochlear implant program in Europe was performed. Audiological testing for those patients who could actively participate was performed using pure tone audiometry (PTA). Those unable to undergo PTA were measured using click-auditory brainstem response (ABR). Data analysis was performed to determine genotype-phenotype correlations of the mutational status vs. audiological profiles and vs. age at the time of presentation. An overall prevalence of biallelic mutations of 13.4% was found for the total collective. When subsets of younger patients were examined, the prevalence increased to 27% of those up to age 18 and 35% of those up to age 5 at the time of testing, respectively. This increase was found to be highly significant (p < 0.001). Analysis of the mean PTA thresholds revealed a strong correlation between allele combination status and mean PTA (p = 0.021). The prevalence of simple heterozygotes was found to be approximately 10.1%, which is around 3.3 times the value expected in the general population. As GJB2 follows a recessive pattern of inheritance, the question arises as to why such a large fraction of simple heterozygotes was observed among the hearing impaired patients included in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- W F Burke
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Cluster of Excellence, Hearing4All, Germany.
| | - A Warnecke
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Cluster of Excellence, Hearing4All, Germany
| | - A Schöner-Heinisch
- Institute for Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - H Maier
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Cluster of Excellence, Hearing4All, Germany
| | - T Lenarz
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Cluster of Excellence, Hearing4All, Germany
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Pandey N, Xavier DF, Chatterjee A, Mani RS, Hiremagalore R, Tharakan A, Rajashekhar B, Anand A. Functional Analysis of a Novel Connexin30 Mutation in a Large Family with Hearing Loss, Pesplanus, Ichthyosis, Cutaneous Nodules, and Keratoderma. Ann Hum Genet 2015; 80:11-9. [PMID: 26620415 DOI: 10.1111/ahg.12141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the gap-junction gene Cx30 (Connexin30, GJB6) are a known cause of hearing loss. Here, we report our findings on a large multigeneration family in which severe to profound sensorineural hearing impairment is associated with a variety of skin-related anomalies. Genome-wide analysis of the family showed that the locus maps to chromosome region 13ptel-q12.1 and that a novel mutation, p.N54K, in Cx30, cosegregates with the phenotype. Unlike wild-type Cx30, p.N54K Cx30 is predominantly localized in the cytoplasm and does not permit transfer of neurobiotin, suggesting improper cellular localization and abolishment of gap-junction activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishtha Pandey
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India.,Centre for Human Genetics, Bangalore, India
| | - Dennis F Xavier
- Department of Speech and Hearing, School of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal, India
| | - Arunima Chatterjee
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Ram-Shankar Mani
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | | | - Ajith Tharakan
- Department of Dermatology, Sree Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences, Cochin, India
| | - B Rajashekhar
- Department of Speech and Hearing, School of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal, India
| | - Anuranjan Anand
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
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Blakley BW, Garcia CEA, da Sliva SR, Florêncio VMB, Nagy JI. Elevated auditory brainstem response thresholds in mice with Connexin36 gene ablation. Acta Otolaryngol 2015; 135:814-8. [PMID: 25891643 DOI: 10.3109/00016489.2015.1034880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
CONCLUSION Expression of connexin36 (Cx36) and electrical synapses formed by Cx36-containing gap junctions contribute to normal auditory brainstem response thresholds in mice. OBJECTIVES Electrical synaptic transmission mediated by gap junctions has not been intensively studied in the auditory system. This study used transgenic mice with knockout of the gene coding for the major protein that forms neuronal gap junctions in mammalian brain (Cx36) to evaluate the role of Cx36 in murine hearing. METHODS Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were measured in 26 wild-type and 26 Cx36 knockout mice. ABR thresholds were used to assess auditory brainstem function at four frequencies. DPOAEs were delivered for seven frequency pairs to assess cochlear function. RESULTS The magnitudes of the 2f1-f2 distortion products were not different between Cx36 knockout and wild-type mice, suggesting similar cochlear function in the two groups. ABR thresholds were significantly elevated in the Cx36 knockout compared with the wild-type groups, suggesting impaired function in the auditory brainstem. The results suggest that electrical synapses formed by Cx36-containing gap junctions contribute to auditory sound processing and function at the level of the brainstem, not the cochlea. These findings may be important for understanding human auditory pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian W Blakley
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Manitoba , Winnipeg , Canada
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50
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Wingard JC, Zhao HB. Cellular and Deafness Mechanisms Underlying Connexin Mutation-Induced Hearing Loss - A Common Hereditary Deafness. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:202. [PMID: 26074771 PMCID: PMC4448512 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss due to mutations in the connexin gene family, which encodes gap junctional proteins, is a common form of hereditary deafness. In particular, connexin 26 (Cx26, GJB2) mutations are responsible for ~50% of non-syndromic hearing loss, which is the highest incidence of genetic disease. In the clinic, Cx26 mutations cause various auditory phenotypes ranging from profound congenital deafness at birth to mild, progressive hearing loss in late childhood. Recent experiments demonstrate that congenital deafness mainly results from cochlear developmental disorders rather than hair cell degeneration and endocochlear potential reduction, while late-onset hearing loss results from reduction of active cochlear amplification, even though cochlear hair cells have no connexin expression. However, there is no apparent, demonstrable relationship between specific changes in connexin (channel) functions and the phenotypes of mutation-induced hearing loss. Moreover, new experiments further demonstrate that the hypothesized K+-recycling disruption is not a principal deafness mechanism for connexin deficiency induced hearing loss. Cx30 (GJB6), Cx29 (GJC3), Cx31 (GJB3), and Cx43 (GJA1) mutations can also cause hearing loss with distinct pathological changes in the cochlea. These new studies provide invaluable information about deafness mechanisms underlying connexin mutation-induced hearing loss and also provide important information for developing new protective and therapeutic strategies for this common deafness. However, the detailed cellular mechanisms underlying these pathological changes remain unclear. Also, little is known about specific mutation-induced pathological changes in vivo and little information is available for humans. Such further studies are urgently required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Wingard
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center , Lexington, KY , USA
| | - Hong-Bo Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kentucky Medical Center , Lexington, KY , USA
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