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Takahashi S, Zhou Y, Cheatham MA, Homma K. The frequency dependence of prestin-mediated fast electromotility for mammalian cochlear amplification. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.22.595389. [PMID: 38826260 PMCID: PMC11142200 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.22.595389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Prestin's voltage-driven motor activity confers sound-elicited somatic electromotility in auditory outer hair cells (OHCs) and is essential for the exquisite sensitivity and frequency selectivity of mammalian hearing. Lack of prestin results in hearing threshold shifts across frequency, supporting the causal association of variants in the prestin-coding gene, SLC26A5 , with human hearing loss, DFNB61. However, cochlear function can tolerate reductions in prestin-mediated OHC electromotility. We found that two deafness-associated prestin variants, p.A100T and p.P119S, do not deprive prestin of its fast motor function but significantly reduce membrane expression, leading to large reductions in OHC electromotility that were only ∼30% of wildtype (WT). Mice harboring these missense variants suffered congenital hearing loss that was worse at high frequencies; however, they retained WT-like auditory brainstem response thresholds at 8 kHz, which is processed at the apex of the mouse cochlea. This observation suggests the increasing importance of prestin-driven cochlear amplification at higher frequencies relevant to mammalian hearing. The observation also suggests the promising clinical possibility that small enhancements of OHC electromotility could significantly ameliorate DFNB61 hearing loss in human patients. SIGNIFICANCE Prestin is abundantly expressed in the auditory outer hair cells and is essential for normal cochlear operation. Hence, reduction of prestin expression is often taken as indicative of reduced cochlear function in diseased or aged ears. However, this assumption overlooks the fact that cochlear function can tolerate large reductions in prestin motor activity. DFNB61 mouse models generated and characterized in this study provide an opportunity to gauge the amount of prestin motor activity needed to sustain normal hearing sensitivity. This knowledge is crucial not only for understanding the pathogenic roles of deafness-associated variants that impair OHC electromotility but also for unraveling how prestin contributes to cochlear amplification.
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Giffen KP, Liu H, Yamane KL, Li Y, Chen L, Kramer KL, Zallocchi M, He DZ. Molecular Specializations Underlying Phenotypic Differences in Inner Ear Hair Cells of Zebrafish and Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.24.595729. [PMID: 38826418 PMCID: PMC11142236 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.24.595729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Hair cells (HCs) are the sensory receptors of the auditory and vestibular systems in the inner ears of vertebrates that selectively transduce mechanical stimuli into electrical activity. Although all HCs have the hallmark stereocilia bundle for mechanotransduction, HCs in non-mammals and mammals differ in their molecular specialization in the apical, basolateral and synaptic membranes. HCs of non-mammals, such as zebrafish (zHCs), are electrically tuned to specific frequencies and possess an active process in the stereocilia bundle to amplify sound signals. Mammalian cochlear HCs, in contrast, are not electrically tuned and achieve amplification by somatic motility of outer HCs (OHCs). To understand the genetic mechanisms underlying differences among adult zebrafish and mammalian cochlear HCs, we compared their RNA-seq-characterized transcriptomes, focusing on protein-coding orthologous genes related to HC specialization. There was considerable shared expression of gene orthologs among the HCs, including those genes associated with mechanotransduction, ion transport/channels, and synaptic signaling. For example, both zebrafish and mouse HCs express Tmc1, Lhfpl5, Tmie, Cib2, Cacna1d, Cacnb2, Otof, Pclo and Slc17a8. However, there were some notable differences in expression among zHCs, OHCs, and inner HCs (IHCs), which likely underlie the distinctive physiological properties of each cell type. Tmc2 and Cib3 were not detected in adult mouse HCs but tmc2a and b and cib3 were highly expressed in zHCs. Mouse HCs express Kcna10, Kcnj13, Kcnj16, and Kcnq4, which were not detected in zHCs. Chrna9 and Chrna10 were expressed in mouse HCs. In contrast, chrna10 was not detected in zHCs. OHCs highly express Slc26a5 which encodes the motor protein prestin that contributes to OHC electromotility. However, zHCs have only weak expression of slc26a5, and subsequently showed no voltage dependent electromotility when measured. Notably, the zHCs expressed more paralogous genes including those associated with HC-specific functions and transcriptional activity, though it is unknown whether they have functions similar to their mammalian counterparts. There was overlap in the expressed genes associated with a known hearing phenotype. Our analyses unveil substantial differences in gene expression patterns that may explain phenotypic specialization of zebrafish and mouse HCs. This dataset also includes several protein-coding genes to further the functional characterization of HCs and study of HC evolution from non-mammals to mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberlee P. Giffen
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
- Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Huizhan Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Kacey L. Yamane
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ken L. Kramer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Marisa Zallocchi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - David Z.Z. He
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
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Takahashi S, Homma K. The molecular principles underlying diverse functions of the SLC26 family of proteins. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107261. [PMID: 38582450 PMCID: PMC11078650 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107261] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Mammalian SLC26 proteins are membrane-based anion transporters that belong to the large SLC26/SulP family, and many of their variants are associated with hereditary diseases. Recent structural studies revealed a strikingly similar homodimeric molecular architecture for several SLC26 members, implying a shared molecular principle. Now a new question emerges as to how these structurally similar proteins execute diverse physiological functions. In this study, we sought to identify the common versus distinct molecular mechanism among the SLC26 proteins using both naturally occurring and artificial missense changes introduced to SLC26A4, SLC26A5, and SLC26A9. We found: (i) the basic residue at the anion binding site is essential for both anion antiport of SLC26A4 and motor functions of SLC26A5, and its conversion to a nonpolar residue is crucial but not sufficient for the fast uncoupled anion transport in SLC26A9; (ii) the conserved polar residues in the N- and C-terminal cytosolic domains are likely involved in dynamic hydrogen-bonding networks and are essential for anion antiport of SLC26A4 but not for motor (SLC26A5) and uncoupled anion transport (SLC26A9) functions; (iii) the hydrophobic interaction between each protomer's last transmembrane helices, TM14, is not of functional significance in SLC26A9 but crucial for the functions of SLC26A4 and SLC26A5, likely contributing to optimally orient the axis of the relative movements of the core domain with respect to the gate domains within the cell membrane. These findings advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the diverse physiological roles of the SLC26 family of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoe Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Center for Mechanical Excitability, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Kazuaki Homma
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Center for Mechanical Excitability, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA; The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
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Bachman JL, Kitcher SR, Vattino LG, Beaulac HJ, Chaves MG, Rivera IH, Katz E, Wedemeyer C, Weisz CJ. GABAergic synapses between auditory efferent neurons and type II spiral ganglion afferent neurons in the mouse cochlea. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.28.587185. [PMID: 38586043 PMCID: PMC10996694 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.28.587185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) are electromotile and are implicated in mechanisms of amplification of responses to sound that enhance sound sensitivity and frequency tuning. They send information to the brain through glutamatergic synapses onto a small subpopulation of neurons of the ascending auditory nerve, the type II spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). The OHC synapses onto type II SGNs are sparse and weak, suggesting that type II SGNs respond primarily to loud and possibly damaging levels of sound. OHCs also receive innervation from the brain through the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent neurons. MOC neurons are cholinergic yet exert an inhibitory effect on auditory function as they are coupled to alpha9/alpha10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on OHCs, which leads to calcium influx that gates SK potassium channels. The net hyperpolarization exerted by this efferent synapse reduces OHC activity-evoked electromotility and is implicated in cochlear gain control, protection against acoustic trauma, and attention. MOC neurons also label for markers of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and GABA synthesis. GABAB autoreceptor (GABABR) activation by GABA released from MOC terminals has been demonstrated to reduce ACh release, confirming important negative feedback roles for GABA. However, the full complement of GABAergic activity in the cochlea is not currently understood, including the mechanisms that regulate GABA release from MOC axon terminals, whether GABA diffuses from MOC axon terminals to other postsynaptic cells, and the location and function of GABAA receptors (GABAARs). Previous electron microscopy studies suggest that MOC neurons form contacts onto several other cell types in the cochlea, but whether these contacts form functional synapses, and what neurotransmitters are employed, are unknown. Here we use immunohistochemistry, optical neurotransmitter imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology from hair cells, afferent dendrites, and efferent axons to demonstrate that in addition to presynaptic GABABR autoreceptor activation, MOC efferent axon terminals release GABA onto type II SGN afferent dendrites with postsynaptic activity mediated by GABAARs. This synapse may have multiple roles including developmental regulation of cochlear innervation, fine tuning of OHC activity, or providing feedback to the brain about MOC and OHC activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia L. Bachman
- These authors contributed equally
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Siân R. Kitcher
- These authors contributed equally
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lucas G. Vattino
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Dr. Héctor N. Torres, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1428 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Eaton Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Holly J. Beaulac
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - M. Grace Chaves
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Eaton Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Biosciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Israel Hernandez Rivera
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Eleonora Katz
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Dr. Héctor N. Torres, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1428 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Wedemeyer
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Dr. Héctor N. Torres, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1428 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Catherine J.C. Weisz
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Takahashi S, Zhou Y, Cheatham MA, Homma K. The pathogenic roles of the p.R130S prestin variant in DFNB61 hearing loss. J Physiol 2024; 602:1199-1210. [PMID: 38431907 PMCID: PMC10942758 DOI: 10.1113/jp285599] [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: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
DFNB61 is a recessively inherited nonsyndromic hearing loss caused by mutations in SLC26A5, the gene that encodes the voltage-driven motor protein, prestin. Prestin is abundantly expressed in the auditory outer hair cells that mediate cochlear amplification. Two DFNB61-associated SLC26A5 variants, p.W70X and p.R130S, were identified in patients who are compound heterozygous for these nonsense and missense changes (SLC26A5W70X/R130S ). Our recent study showed that mice homozygous for p.R130S (Slc26a5R130S/R130S ) suffer from hearing loss that is ascribed to significantly reduced motor kinetics of prestin. Given that W70X-prestin is nonfunctional, compound heterozygous Slc26a5R130S/- mice were used as a model for human SLC26A5W70X/R130S . By examining the pathophysiological consequences of p.R130S prestin when it is the sole allele for prestin protein production, we determined that this missense change results in progressive outer hair cell loss in addition to its effects on prestin's motor action. Thus, this study defines the pathogenic roles of p.R130S prestin and identifies a limited time window for potential clinical intervention. KEY POINTS: The voltage-driven motor protein, prestin, is encoded by SLC26A5 and expressed abundantly in cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs). The importance of prestin for normal hearing was demonstrated in mice lacking prestin; however, none of the specific SLC26A5 variants identified to date in human patients has been experimentally demonstrated to be pathogenic. In this study we used both cell lines and a mouse model to define the pathogenic role of compound heterozygous p.W70X (c.209G>A) and p.R130S (c.390A>C) SLC26A5 variants identified in patients with moderate to profound hearing loss. As in patients, mice carrying one copy of p.R130S Slc26a5 showed OHC dysfunction and progressive degeneration, which results in congenital progressive hearing loss. This is the first functional study reporting pathogenic SLC26A5 variants and pointing to the presence of a therapeutic time window for potential clinical interventions targeting the affected OHCs before they are lost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoe Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Yingjie Zhou
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Mary Ann Cheatham
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders
| | - Kazuaki Homma
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders
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Takahashi S, Kojima T, Wasano K, Homma K. Functional Studies of Deafness-Associated Pendrin and Prestin Variants. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2759. [PMID: 38474007 PMCID: PMC10931795 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052759] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Pendrin and prestin are evolutionary-conserved membrane proteins that are essential for normal hearing. Dysfunction of these proteins results in hearing loss in humans, and numerous deafness-associated pendrin and prestin variants have been identified in patients. However, the pathogenic impacts of many of these variants are ambiguous. Here, we report results from our ongoing efforts to experimentally characterize pendrin and prestin variants using in vitro functional assays. With previously established fluorometric anion transport assays, we determined that many of the pendrin variants identified on transmembrane (TM) 10, which contains the essential anion binding site, and on the neighboring TM9 within the core domain resulted in impaired anion transport activity. We also determined the range of functional impairment in three deafness-associated prestin variants by measuring nonlinear capacitance (NLC), a proxy for motor function. Using the results from our functional analyses, we also evaluated the performance of AlphaMissense (AM), a computational tool for predicting the pathogenicity of missense variants. AM prediction scores correlated well with our experimental results; however, some variants were misclassified, underscoring the necessity of experimentally assessing the effects of variants. Together, our experimental efforts provide invaluable information regarding the pathogenicity of deafness-associated pendrin and prestin variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoe Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Takashi Kojima
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National Hospital Organization Tochigi Medical Center, Tochigi 320-0057, Japan
| | - Koichiro Wasano
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Homma
- Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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Takahashi S, Kojima T, Wasano K, Homma K. Functional studies of deafness-associated pendrin and prestin variants. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.23.576877. [PMID: 38328051 PMCID: PMC10849616 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Pendrin and prestin are evolutionary conserved membrane proteins that are essential for normal hearing. Pendrin is an anion transporter required for normal development and maintenance of ion homeostasis in the inner ear, while prestin is a voltage-dependent motor responsible for cochlear amplification essential for high sensitivity and frequency selectivity of mammalian hearing. Dysfunction of these proteins result in hearing loss in humans, and numerous deafness-associated pendrin and prestin variants have been identified in patients. However, the pathogenic impacts of many of these variants are ambiguous. Here we report results from our ongoing efforts in experimentally characterizing pendrin and prestin variants using in vitro functional assays, providing invaluable information regarding their pathogenicity.
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Geertsma ER, Oliver D. SLC26 Anion Transporters. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2024; 283:319-360. [PMID: 37947907 DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Solute carrier family 26 (SLC26) is a family of functionally diverse anion transporters found in all kingdoms of life. Anions transported by SLC26 proteins include chloride, bicarbonate, and sulfate, but also small organic dicarboxylates such as fumarate and oxalate. The human genome encodes ten functional homologs, several of which are causally associated with severe human diseases, highlighting their physiological importance. Here, we review novel insights into the structure and function of SLC26 proteins and summarize the physiological relevance of human members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Geertsma
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Dominik Oliver
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Universities of Marburg and Giessen, Marburg, Giessen, Germany.
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Takahashi S, Homma K. The molecular principles underlying diverse functions of the SLC26 family of proteins. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.10.570988. [PMID: 38106153 PMCID: PMC10723444 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.10.570988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian SLC26 proteins are membrane-based anion transporters that belong to the large SLC26/SulP family, and many of their variants are associated with hereditary diseases. Recent structural studies revealed a strikingly similar homodimeric molecular architecture for several SLC26 members, implying a shared molecular principle. Now a new question emerges as to how these structurally similar proteins execute diverse physiological functions. In this study we sought to identify the common vs. distinct molecular mechanism among the SLC26 proteins using both naturally occurring and artificial missense changes introduced to SLC26A4, SLC26A5, and SLC26A9. We found: (i) the basic residue at the anion binding site is essential for both anion antiport of SLC26A4 and motor functions of SLC26A5, and its conversion to a nonpolar residue is crucial but not sufficient for the fast uncoupled anion transport in SLC26A9; (ii) the conserved polar residues in the N- and C-terminal cytosolic domains are likely involved in dynamic hydrogen-bonding networks and are essential for anion antiport of SLC26A4 but not for motor (SLC26A5) and uncoupled anion transport (SLC26A9) functions; (iii) the hydrophobic interaction between each protomer's last transmembrane helices, TM14, is not of functional significance in SLC26A9 but crucial for the functions of SLC26A4 and SLC26A5, likely contributing to optimally orient the axis of the relative movements of the core domain with respect to the gate domains within the cell membrane. These findings advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the diverse physiological roles of the SLC26 family of proteins.
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Kuwabara MF, Haddad BG, Lenz-Schwab D, Hartmann J, Longo P, Huckschlag BM, Fuß A, Questino A, Berger TK, Machtens JP, Oliver D. Elevator-like movements of prestin mediate outer hair cell electromotility. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7145. [PMID: 37932294 PMCID: PMC10628124 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42489-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The outstanding acuity of the mammalian ear relies on cochlear amplification, an active mechanism based on the electromotility (eM) of outer hair cells. eM is a piezoelectric mechanism generated by little-understood, voltage-induced conformational changes of the anion transporter homolog prestin (SLC26A5). We used a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and biophysical approaches to identify the structural dynamics of prestin that mediate eM. MD simulations showed that prestin samples a vast conformational landscape with expanded (ES) and compact (CS) states beyond previously reported prestin structures. Transition from CS to ES is dominated by the translational-rotational movement of prestin's transport domain, akin to elevator-type substrate translocation by related solute carriers. Reversible transition between CS and ES states was supported experimentally by cysteine accessibility scanning, cysteine cross-linking between transport and scaffold domains, and voltage-clamp fluorometry (VCF). Our data demonstrate that prestin's piezoelectric dynamics recapitulate essential steps of a structurally conserved ion transport cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto F Kuwabara
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Bassam G Haddad
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Dominik Lenz-Schwab
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Julia Hartmann
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Piersilvio Longo
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Britt-Marie Huckschlag
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Anneke Fuß
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Annalisa Questino
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Thomas K Berger
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jan-Philipp Machtens
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-1), Molekular- und Zellphysiologie, and JARA-HPC, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Dominik Oliver
- Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Philipps University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany.
- DFG Research Training Group, Membrane Plasticity in Tissue Development and Remodeling, GRK 2213, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Universities of Marburg and Giessen, Marburg, Germany.
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Takahashi S, Zhou Y, Cheatham MA, Homma K. The pathogenic roles of the p.R130S prestin variant in DFNB61 hearing loss. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.21.554157. [PMID: 37662362 PMCID: PMC10473669 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.21.554157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
DFNB61 is a recessively inherited nonsyndromic hearing loss caused by mutations in SLC26A5 , the gene that encodes the voltage-driven motor protein, prestin. Prestin is abundantly expressed in the auditory outer hair cells that mediate cochlear amplification. Two DFNB61-associated SLC26A5 variants, p.W70X and p.R130S, were identified in patients who are compound heterozygous for these nonsense and missense changes ( SLC26A5 W70X/R130S ). Our recent study showed that mice homozygous for p.R130S ( Slc26a5 R130S/R130S ) suffer from hearing loss that is ascribed to significantly reduced motor kinetics of prestin. Given that W70X-prestin is nonfunctional, compound heterozygous Slc26a5 R130S/- mice were used as a model for human SLC26A5 W70X/R130S . By examining the pathophysiological consequences of p.R130S prestin when it is the sole allele for prestin protein production, we determined that this missense change results in progressive outer hair cell loss in addition to its effects on prestin's motor action. Thus, this study fully defines the pathogenic roles for the p.R130S prestin, which points to the presence of a limited time window for potential clinical intervention.
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12
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Cheatham MA. Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions in Mice Above and Below the Eliciting Primaries. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2023; 24:413-428. [PMID: 37464091 PMCID: PMC10504173 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-023-00903-4] [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: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Normal hearing is associated with cochlear nonlinearity. When two tones (f1 and f2) are presented, the intracochlear response contains additional components that can be recorded from the ear canal as distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Although the most prominent intermodulation distortion component is at 2f1-f2, other cubic distortion products are also generated. Because these measurements are noninvasive, they are used in humans and in animal models to detect hearing loss. This study evaluated how loss of sensitivity affects DPOAEs with frequencies above and below the stimulating primaries, i.e., for upper sideband (USB) components like 2f2-f1 and for lower sideband (LSB) components like 2f1-f2. DPOAEs were recorded in several mouse mutants with varying degrees of hearing loss associated with structural changes to the tectorial membrane (TM), or with loss of outer hair cell (OHC) somatic electromotility due to lack of prestin or to the expression of a non-functional prestin. In mice with changes in sensitivity, magnitude reductions were observed for 2f1-f2 relative to controls with mice lacking prestin showing the greatest changes. In contrast, 2f2-f1 was minimally affected by reductions in cochlear gain due to changes in the TM or by the loss of OHC somatic electromotility. In addition, TM mutants with spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) generated larger responses than controls at 2f2-f1 when its frequency was similar to that for the SOAEs. Although cochlear pathologies appear to affect USB and LSB DPOAEs in different ways, both 2f1-f2 and 2f2-f1 reflect nonlinearities associated with the transducer channels. However, in mice, the component at 2f2-f1 does not appear to receive enhancement due to prestin's motor action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ann Cheatham
- The Knowles Hearing Center, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2-240 Frances Searle Building, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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13
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Fettiplace R. Cochlear tonotopy from proteins to perception. Bioessays 2023:e2300058. [PMID: 37329318 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300058] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
A ubiquitous feature of the auditory organ in amniotes is the longitudinal mapping of neuronal characteristic frequencies (CFs), which increase exponentially with distance along the organ. The exponential tonotopic map reflects variation in hair cell properties according to cochlear location and is thought to stem from concentration gradients in diffusible morphogenic proteins during embryonic development. While in all amniotes the spatial gradient is initiated by sonic hedgehog (SHH), released from the notochord and floorplate, subsequent molecular pathways are not fully understood. In chickens, BMP7 is one such morphogen, secreted from the distal end of the cochlea. In mammals, the developmental mechanism differs from birds and may depend on cochlear location. A consequence of exponential maps is that each octave occupies an equal distance on the cochlea, a spacing preserved in the tonotopic maps in higher auditory brain regions. This may facilitate frequency analysis and recognition of acoustic sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fettiplace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
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14
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Santos-Sacchi J, Bai JP, Navaratnam D. Megahertz Sampling of Prestin (SLC26a5) Voltage-Sensor Charge Movements in Outer Hair Cell Membranes Reveals Ultrasonic Activity that May Support Electromotility and Cochlear Amplification. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2460-2468. [PMID: 36868859 PMCID: PMC10082455 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2033-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Charged moieties in the outer hair cell (OHC) membrane motor protein, prestin, are driven by transmembrane voltage to power OHC electromotility (eM) and cochlear amplification (CA), an enhancement of mammalian hearing. Consequently, the speed of prestin's conformational switching constrains its dynamic influence on micromechanics of the cell and the organ of Corti. Corresponding voltage-sensor charge movements in prestin, classically assessed as a voltage-dependent, nonlinear membrane capacitance (NLC), have been used to gauge its frequency response, but have been validly measured only out to 30 kHz. Thus, controversy exists concerning the effectiveness of eM in supporting CA at ultrasonic frequencies where some mammals can hear. Using megahertz sampling of guinea pig (either sex) prestin charge movements, we extend interrogations of NLC into the ultrasonic range (up to 120 kHz) and find an order of magnitude larger response at 80 kHz than previously predicted, indicating that an influence of eM at ultrasonic frequencies is likely, in line with recent in vivo results (Levic et al., 2022). Given wider bandwidth interrogations, we also validate kinetic model predictions of prestin by directly observing its characteristic cut-off frequency under voltage-clamp as the intersection frequency (Fis), near 19 kHz, of the real and imaginary components of complex NLC (cNLC). The frequency response of prestin displacement current noise determined from either the Nyquist relation or stationary measures aligns with this cut-off. We conclude that voltage stimulation accurately assesses the spectral limits of prestin activity, and that voltage-dependent conformational switching is physiologically significant in the ultrasonic range.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The motor protein prestin powers outer hair cell (OHC) electromotility (eM) and cochlear amplification (CA), an enhancement of high-frequency mammalian hearing. The ability of prestin to work at very high frequencies depends on its membrane voltage-driven conformation switching. Using megahertz sampling, we extend measures of prestin charge movement into the ultrasonic range and find response magnitude at 80 kHz an order of magnitude larger than previously estimated, despite confirmation of previous low pass characteristic frequency cut-offs. The frequency response of prestin noise garnered by the admittance-based Nyquist relation or stationary noise measures confirms this characteristic cut-off frequency. Our data indicate that voltage perturbation provides accurate assessment of prestin performance indicating that it can support cochlear amplification into a higher frequency range than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Santos-Sacchi
- Surgery (Otolaryngology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
- Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
- Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
| | - Jun-Ping Bai
- Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
| | - Dhasakumar Navaratnam
- Surgery (Otolaryngology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
- Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
- Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510
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15
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Altoè A, Shera CA. The Long Outer-Hair-Cell RC Time Constant: A Feature, Not a Bug, of the Mammalian Cochlea. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2023; 24:129-145. [PMID: 36725778 PMCID: PMC10121995 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-022-00884-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The cochlea of the mammalian inner ear includes an active, hydromechanical amplifier thought to arise via the piezoelectric action of the outer hair cells (OHCs). A classic problem of cochlear biophysics is that the RC (resistance-capacitance) time constant of the hair-cell membrane appears inconveniently long, producing an effective cut-off frequency much lower than that of most audible sounds. The long RC time constant implies that the OHC receptor potential-and hence its electromotile response-decreases by roughly two orders of magnitude over the frequency range of mammalian hearing, casting doubt on the hypothesized role of cycle-by-cycle OHC-based amplification in mammalian hearing. Here, we review published data and basic physics to show that the "RC problem" has been magnified by viewing it through the wrong lens. Our analysis finds no appreciable mismatch between the expected magnitude of high-frequency electromotility and the sound-evoked displacements of the organ of Corti. Rather than precluding significant OHC-based boosts to auditory sensitivity, the long RC time constant appears beneficial for hearing, reducing the effects of internal noise and distortion while increasing the fidelity of cochlear amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Altoè
- Caruso Department of Otolaryngology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Christopher A Shera
- Caruso Department of Otolaryngology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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16
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Takahashi S, Zhou Y, Kojima T, Cheatham MA, Homma K. Prestin's fast motor kinetics is essential for mammalian cochlear amplification. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217891120. [PMID: 36893263 PMCID: PMC10089206 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217891120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Prestin (SLC26A5)-mediated voltage-driven elongations and contractions of sensory outer hair cells within the organ of Corti are essential for mammalian cochlear amplification. However, whether this electromotile activity directly contributes on a cycle-by-cycle basis is currently controversial. By restoring motor kinetics in a mouse model expressing a slowed prestin missense variant, this study provides experimental evidence acknowledging the importance of fast motor action to mammalian cochlear amplification. Our results also demonstrate that the point mutation in prestin disrupting anion transport in other proteins of the SLC26 family does not alter cochlear function, suggesting that the potential weak anion transport of prestin is not essential in the mammalian cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoe Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Yingjie Zhou
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
| | - Takashi Kojima
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Mary Ann Cheatham
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
- The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
| | - Kazuaki Homma
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL60611
- The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
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17
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Regulation of membrane protein structure and function by their lipid nano-environment. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:107-122. [PMID: 36056103 PMCID: PMC9892264 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00524-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 113.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Transmembrane proteins comprise ~30% of the mammalian proteome, mediating metabolism, signalling, transport and many other functions required for cellular life. The microenvironment of integral membrane proteins (IMPs) is intrinsically different from that of cytoplasmic proteins, with IMPs solvated by a compositionally and biophysically complex lipid matrix. These solvating lipids affect protein structure and function in a variety of ways, from stereospecific, high-affinity protein-lipid interactions to modulation by bulk membrane properties. Specific examples of functional modulation of IMPs by their solvating membranes have been reported for various transporters, channels and signal receptors; however, generalizable mechanistic principles governing IMP regulation by lipid environments are neither widely appreciated nor completely understood. Here, we review recent insights into the inter-relationships between complex lipidomes of mammalian membranes, the membrane physicochemical properties resulting from such lipid collectives, and the regulation of IMPs by either or both. The recent proliferation of high-resolution methods to study such lipid-protein interactions has led to generalizable insights, which we synthesize into a general framework termed the 'functional paralipidome' to understand the mutual regulation between membrane proteins and their surrounding lipid microenvironments.
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18
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Dehghani-Ghahnaviyeh S, Zhao Z, Tajkhorshid E. Lipid-mediated prestin organization in outer hair cell membranes and its implications in sound amplification. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6877. [PMID: 36371434 PMCID: PMC9653410 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34596-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prestin is a high-density motor protein in the outer hair cells (OHCs), whose conformational response to acoustic signals alters the shape of the cell, thereby playing a major role in sound amplification by the cochlea. Despite recent structures, prestin's intimate interactions with the membrane, which are central to its function remained unresolved. Here, employing a large set (collectively, more than 0.5 ms) of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate the impact of prestin's lipid-protein interactions on its organization at densities relevant to the OHCs and its effectiveness in reshaping OHCs. Prestin causes anisotropic membrane deformation, which mediates a preferential membrane organization of prestin where deformation patterns by neighboring copies are aligned constructively. The resulting reduced membrane rigidity is hypothesized to maximize the impact of prestin on OHC reshaping. These results demonstrate a clear case of protein-protein cooperative communication in membrane, purely mediated by interactions with lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepehr Dehghani-Ghahnaviyeh
- grid.35403.310000 0004 1936 9991Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL USA
| | - Zhiyu Zhao
- grid.35403.310000 0004 1936 9991Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- grid.35403.310000 0004 1936 9991Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL USA
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19
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Futamata H, Fukuda M, Umeda R, Yamashita K, Tomita A, Takahashi S, Shikakura T, Hayashi S, Kusakizako T, Nishizawa T, Homma K, Nureki O. Cryo-EM structures of thermostabilized prestin provide mechanistic insights underlying outer hair cell electromotility. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6208. [PMID: 36266333 PMCID: PMC9584906 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34017-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Outer hair cell elecromotility, driven by prestin, is essential for mammalian cochlear amplification. Here, we report the cryo-EM structures of thermostabilized prestin (PresTS), complexed with chloride, sulfate, or salicylate at 3.52-3.63 Å resolutions. The central positively-charged cavity allows flexible binding of various anion species, which likely accounts for the known distinct modulations of nonlinear capacitance (NLC) by different anions. Comparisons of these PresTS structures with recent prestin structures suggest rigid-body movement between the core and gate domains, and provide mechanistic insights into prestin inhibition by salicylate. Mutations at the dimeric interface severely diminished NLC, suggesting that stabilization of the gate domain facilitates core domain movement, thereby contributing to the expression of NLC. These findings advance our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying mammalian cochlear amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haon Futamata
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
| | - Masahiro Fukuda
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan ,grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XPresent Address: Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo; Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8503 Japan
| | - Rie Umeda
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
| | - Keitaro Yamashita
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan ,grid.42475.300000 0004 0605 769XPresent Address: MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Atsuhiro Tomita
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
| | - Satoe Takahashi
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611 USA
| | - Takafumi Shikakura
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Shigehiko Hayashi
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | - Tsukasa Kusakizako
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
| | - Tomohiro Nishizawa
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan ,grid.268441.d0000 0001 1033 6139Present Address: Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Homma
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611 USA ,grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60608 USA
| | - Osamu Nureki
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
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20
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Zhang H, Li H, Lu M, Wang S, Ma X, Wang F, Liu J, Li X, Yang H, Zhang F, Shen H, Buckley NJ, Gamper N, Yamoah EN, Lv P. Repressor element 1-silencing transcription factor deficiency yields profound hearing loss through K v7.4 channel upsurge in auditory neurons and hair cells. eLife 2022; 11:76754. [PMID: 36125121 PMCID: PMC9525063 DOI: 10.7554/elife.76754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Repressor element 1-silencing transcription factor (REST) is a transcriptional repressor that recognizes neuron-restrictive silencer elements in the mammalian genomes in a tissue- and cell-specific manner. The identity of REST target genes and molecular details of how REST regulates them are emerging. We performed conditional null deletion of Rest (cKO), mainly restricted to murine hair cells (HCs) and auditory neurons (aka spiral ganglion neurons [SGNs]). Null inactivation of full-length REST did not affect the development of normal HCs and SGNs but manifested as progressive hearing loss in adult mice. We found that the inactivation of REST resulted in an increased abundance of Kv7.4 channels at the transcript, protein, and functional levels. Specifically, we found that SGNs and HCs from Rest cKO mice displayed increased Kv7.4 expression and augmented Kv7 currents; SGN’s excitability was also significantly reduced. Administration of a compound with Kv7.4 channel activator activity, fasudil, recapitulated progressive hearing loss in mice. In contrast, inhibition of the Kv7 channels by XE991 rescued the auditory phenotype of Rest cKO mice. Previous studies identified some loss-of-function mutations within the Kv7.4-coding gene, Kcnq4, as a causative factor for progressive hearing loss in mice and humans. Thus, the findings reveal that a critical homeostatic Kv7.4 channel level is required for proper auditory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiwei Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Hongchen Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Mingshun Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Shengnan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Xueya Ma
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Jiaxi Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Haichao Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Haitao Shen
- Laboratory of Pathology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
| | - Noel J Buckley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nikita Gamper
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Ebenezer N Yamoah
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, United States
| | - Ping Lv
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Hebei, China
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21
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Homma K, Takahashi S, Cheatham MA. How much prestin motor activity is required for normal hearing? Hear Res 2022; 423:108376. [PMID: 34848118 PMCID: PMC9091054 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Prestin (SLC26A5) is a membrane-based voltage-dependent motor protein responsible for outer hair cell (OHC) somatic electromotility. Its importance for mammalian cochlear amplification has been demonstrated using mouse models lacking prestin (prestin-KO) and expressing dysfunctional prestin, prestinV499G/Y501H (499-prestin-KI). However, it is still not elucidated how prestin contributes to the mechanical amplification process in the cochlea. In this study, we characterized several prestin mouse models in which prestin activity in OHCs was variously manipulated. We found that near-normal cochlear function can be maintained even when prestin activity is significantly reduced, suggesting that the relationship between OHC electromotility and the peripheral sensitivity to sound may not be linear. This result is counterintuitive given the large threshold shifts in prestin-KO and 499-prestin-KI mice, as reported in previous studies. To reconcile these apparently opposing observations, we entertain a voltage- and turgor pressure-based cochlear amplification mechanism that requires prestin but is insensitive to significant reductions in prestin protein expression. This article is part of the Special Issue Outer hair cell Edited by Joseph Santos-Sacchi and Kumar Navaratnam.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuaki Homma
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| | - Satoe Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Mary Ann Cheatham
- The Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Science in Hearing and Its Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
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22
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Strimbu CE, Olson ES. Salicylate-induced changes in organ of Corti vibrations. Hear Res 2022; 423:108389. [PMID: 34774368 PMCID: PMC9058039 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Intra organ of Corti (OC) vibrations differ from those measured at the basilar membrane (BM), with higher amplitudes and a wide-band nonlinearity extending well below a region's best frequency. The vibrations are boosted by the cochlear amplifier, the active processes within the mammalian hearing organ, and are thus sensitive to metabolic or pharmacological manipulation. We introduced salicylate, a known blocker of outer hair cell (OHC) based electromotility, into the perilymphatic space by applying sodium salicylate onto the round window membrane. Vibration patterns of an area of the OC were mapped with phase sensitive optical coherence tomography before and after treatment; distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were measured at similar times to assess the cochlear condition. Following treatment, all regions showed a loss of vibration amplitude and tuning while OHC-region vibrations retained their wide-band nonlinearity. OC vibrations, which had been relatively confined in a region including OHCs and extending to the BM at the outer pillar foot, became less confined with structures lateral to the OHCs sometimes exhibiting the highest amplitudes. Vibrations and DPOAEs could recover to baseline levels over approximately three hours post treatment. This article is part of the Special Issue Outer hair cell Edited by Joseph Santos-Sacchi and Kumar Navaratnam.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Elliott Strimbu
- Columbia University, Department of Otolaryngology, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Elizabeth S. Olson
- Columbia University, Department of Otolaryngology, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027 USA
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23
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Santos-Sacchi J, Tan WJT. Coupling between outer hair cell electromotility and prestin sensor charge depends on voltage operating point. Hear Res 2022; 423:108373. [PMID: 34776274 PMCID: PMC9054947 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The OHC drives cochlear amplification, and prestin activity is the basis. The frequency response of nonlinear capacitance (NLC), which is a ratiometric measure of prestin's voltage-sensor charge movement (dQp/dVm), depends on the location of AC voltage excitation along prestin's operating voltage range, being slowest at the voltage (Vh) where NLC peaks. Here we directly investigate the coupling between prestin charge movement (Qp) and electromotility (eM) at frequencies up to 6.25 kHz, and find tight correspondence between the two at operating voltages displaced from Vh. Near Vh, however, eM shows a slower frequency response than Qp. We reason that coupling is more susceptible to molecular/cellular loads at Vh, where prestin compliance is expected to be maximal. Recent cryo-EM studies have begun to shed light on structural features of prestin that impact its performance against loads. This article is part of the Special Issue Outer hair cell Edited by Joseph Santos-Sacchi and Kumar Navaratnam.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Santos-Sacchi
- Surgery (Otolaryngology), 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Neuroscience, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Winston J T Tan
- Surgery (Otolaryngology), 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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24
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Filova I, Pysanenko K, Tavakoli M, Vochyanova S, Dvorakova M, Bohuslavova R, Smolik O, Fabriciova V, Hrabalova P, Benesova S, Valihrach L, Cerny J, Yamoah EN, Syka J, Fritzsch B, Pavlinkova G. ISL1 is necessary for auditory neuron development and contributes toward tonotopic organization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2207433119. [PMID: 36074819 PMCID: PMC9478650 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207433119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A cardinal feature of the auditory pathway is frequency selectivity, represented in a tonotopic map from the cochlea to the cortex. The molecular determinants of the auditory frequency map are unknown. Here, we discovered that the transcription factor ISL1 regulates the molecular and cellular features of auditory neurons, including the formation of the spiral ganglion and peripheral and central processes that shape the tonotopic representation of the auditory map. We selectively knocked out Isl1 in auditory neurons using Neurod1Cre strategies. In the absence of Isl1, spiral ganglion neurons migrate into the central cochlea and beyond, and the cochlear wiring is profoundly reduced and disrupted. The central axons of Isl1 mutants lose their topographic projections and segregation at the cochlear nucleus. Transcriptome analysis of spiral ganglion neurons shows that Isl1 regulates neurogenesis, axonogenesis, migration, neurotransmission-related machinery, and synaptic communication patterns. We show that peripheral disorganization in the cochlea affects the physiological properties of hearing in the midbrain and auditory behavior. Surprisingly, auditory processing features are preserved despite the significant hearing impairment, revealing central auditory pathway resilience and plasticity in Isl1 mutant mice. Mutant mice have a reduced acoustic startle reflex, altered prepulse inhibition, and characteristics of compensatory neural hyperactivity centrally. Our findings show that ISL1 is one of the obligatory factors required to sculpt auditory structural and functional tonotopic maps. Still, upon Isl1 deletion, the ensuing central plasticity of the auditory pathway does not suffice to overcome developmentally induced peripheral dysfunction of the cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Filova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Kateryna Pysanenko
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czechia
| | - Mitra Tavakoli
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Simona Vochyanova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Martina Dvorakova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Romana Bohuslavova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Ondrej Smolik
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Valeria Fabriciova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Petra Hrabalova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Sarka Benesova
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Lukas Valihrach
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
| | - Jiri Cerny
- Laboratory of Light Microscopy, Institute of Molecular Genetics Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czechia
| | - Ebenezer N. Yamoah
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557
| | - Josef Syka
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine Czech Academy of Sciences, 14220 Prague, Czechia
| | - Bernd Fritzsch
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1324
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1324
| | - Gabriela Pavlinkova
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathogenetics, Institute of Biotechnology Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czechia
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25
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Stiepan S, Goodman SS, Dhar S. Optimizing distortion product otoacoustic emission recordings in normal-hearing ears by adopting cochlear place-specific stimuli. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 152:776. [PMID: 36050172 PMCID: PMC9348896 DOI: 10.1121/10.0013218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) provide a window into active cochlear processes and have become a popular clinical and research tool. DPOAEs are commonly recorded using stimulus with fixed presentation levels and frequency ratio irrespective of the test frequency. However, this is inconsistent with the changing mechanical properties of the cochlear partition from the base to the apex that lend specific frequency-dependent spatial properties to the cochlear traveling wave. Therefore, the frequency and level characteristics between the stimulus tones should also need to be adjusted as a function of frequency to maintain optimal interaction between them. The goal of this investigation was to establish a frequency-specific measurement protocol guided by local cochlear mechanics. A broad stimulus parameter space extending up to 20 kHz was explored in a group of normal-hearing individuals. The stimulus frequency ratio yielding the largest 2f1-f2 DPOAE level changed as a function of frequency and stimulus level. Specifically, for a constant stimulus level, the frequency ratio producing the largest DPOAE level decreased with increasing frequency. Similarly, at a given f2 frequency, the stimulus frequency ratio producing the largest DPOAE level became wider as stimulus level increased. These results confirm and strengthen our current understanding of DPOAE generation in the normally functioning cochlea and expand our understanding to previously unexamined higher frequencies. These data support the use of frequency- and level-specific stimulus frequency ratios to maximize DPOAE generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Stiepan
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Science and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Shawn S. Goodman
- Department of Communication Science and Disorders, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - Sumitrajit Dhar
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Science and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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26
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Lewis RM. From Bench to Booth: Examining Hair-Cell Regeneration Through an Audiologist's Scope. J Am Acad Audiol 2022; 32:654-660. [PMID: 35609592 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1731700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Damage to auditory hair cells is a key feature of sensorineural hearing loss due to aging, noise exposure, or ototoxic drugs. Though hair-cell loss is permanent in humans, research in bird species led to the discovery that analogous hair cells of the avian basilar papilla are able to regenerate after being damaged by ototoxic agents. Regeneration appears to occur through a combination of the mitotic expansion of a precursor population of supporting cells and direct transdifferentiation of supporting cells into functioning hair cells. This review will synthesize the relevant anatomy and pathophysiology of sensorineural hearing loss, the historical observations that led to the genesis of the hair-cell regeneration field, and perspectives on initial human hair-cell regeneration trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Lewis
- Whisper.ai, Department of Clinical Research, San Francisco, California.,Georgetown University Medical Center, Department of Neuroscience, Washington, D.C
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27
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Signatures of cochlear processing in neuronal coding of auditory information. Mol Cell Neurosci 2022; 120:103732. [PMID: 35489636 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2022.103732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate ear is endowed with remarkable perceptual capabilities. The faintest sounds produce vibrations of magnitudes comparable to those generated by thermal noise and can nonetheless be detected through efficient amplification of small acoustic stimuli. Two mechanisms have been proposed to underlie such sound amplification in the mammalian cochlea: somatic electromotility and active hair-bundle motility. These biomechanical mechanisms may work in concert to tune auditory sensitivity. In addition to amplitude sensitivity, the hearing system shows exceptional frequency discrimination allowing mammals to distinguish complex sounds with great accuracy. For instance, although the wide hearing range of humans encompasses frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, our frequency resolution extends to one-thirtieth of the interval between successive keys on a piano. In this article, we review the different cochlear mechanisms underlying sound encoding in the auditory system, with a particular focus on the frequency decomposition of sounds. The relation between peak frequency of activation and location along the cochlea - known as tonotopy - arises from multiple gradients in biophysical properties of the sensory epithelium. Tonotopic mapping represents a major organizational principle both in the peripheral hearing system and in higher processing levels and permits the spectral decomposition of complex tones. The ribbon synapses connecting sensory hair cells to auditory afferents and the downstream spiral ganglion neurons are also tuned to process periodic stimuli according to their preferred frequency. Though sensory hair cells and neurons necessarily filter signals beyond a few kHz, many animals can hear well beyond this range. We finally describe how the cochlear structure shapes the neural code for further processing in order to send meaningful information to the brain. Both the phase-locked response of auditory nerve fibers and tonotopy are key to decode sound frequency information and place specific constraints on the downstream neuronal network.
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28
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Tao Y, Liu X, Yang L, Chu C, Tan F, Yu Z, Ke J, Li X, Zheng X, Zhao X, Qi J, Lin CP, Chai R, Zhong G, Wu H. AAV-ie-K558R mediated cochlear gene therapy and hair cell regeneration. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:109. [PMID: 35449181 PMCID: PMC9023545 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00938-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The cochlea consists of multiple types of cells, including hair cells, supporting cells and spiral ganglion neurons, and is responsible for converting mechanical forces into electric signals that enable hearing. Genetic and environmental factors can result in dysfunctions of cochlear and auditory systems. In recent years, gene therapy has emerged as a promising treatment in animal deafness models. One major challenge of the gene therapy for deafness is to effectively deliver genes to specific cells of cochleae. Here, we screened and identified an AAV-ie mutant, AAV-ie-K558R, that transduces hair cells and supporting cells in the cochleae of neonatal mice with high efficiency. AAV-ie-K558R is a safe vector with no obvious deficits in the hearing system. We found that AAV-ie-K558R can partially restore the hearing loss in Prestin KO mice and, importantly, deliver Atoh1 into cochlear supporting cells to generate hair cell-like cells. Our results demonstrate the clinical potential of AAV-ie-K558R for treating the hearing loss caused by hair cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Tao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.,Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Xiaoyi Liu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China
| | - Liu Yang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China
| | - Cenfeng Chu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China
| | - Fangzhi Tan
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China
| | - Zehua Yu
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China
| | - Junzi Ke
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.,Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Xiaofei Zheng
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.,Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Xingle Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.,Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Jieyu Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, PR China.,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, PR China
| | - Chao-Po Lin
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China
| | - Renjie Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, PR China. .,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, PR China. .,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, PR China. .,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, 100069, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Guisheng Zhong
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China. .,iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, PR China.
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China. .,Ear Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China. .,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.
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29
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Molecular and cytological profiling of biological aging of mouse cochlear inner and outer hair cells. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110665. [PMID: 35417713 PMCID: PMC9069708 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) negatively impacts quality of life in the elderly population. The prevalent cause of ARHL is loss of mechanosensitive cochlear hair cells (HCs). The molecular and cellular mechanisms of HC degeneration remain poorly understood. Using RNA-seq transcriptomic analyses of inner and outer HCs isolated from young and aged mice, we show that HC aging is associated with changes in key molecular processes, including transcription, DNA damage, autophagy, and oxidative stress, as well as genes related to HC specialization. At the cellular level, HC aging is characterized by loss of stereocilia, shrinkage of HC soma, and reduction in outer HC mechanical properties, suggesting that functional decline in mechanotransduction and cochlear amplification precedes HC loss and contributes to ARHL. Our study reveals molecular and cytological profiles of aging HCs and identifies genes such as Sod1, Sirt6, Jund, and Cbx3 as biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for ameliorating ARHL. Using RNA-seq, advanced imaging, and electrophysiology, Liu et al. reveal molecular and cytological profiles of aging cochlear hair cells. Their study also suggests that a functional decline in mechanotransduction and cochlear amplification precedes hair cell loss and contributes to age-related hearing loss.
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30
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Giffen KP, Li Y, Liu H, Zhao XC, Zhang CJ, Shen RJ, Wang T, Janesick A, Chen BB, Gong SS, Kachar B, Jin ZB, He DZ. Mutation of SLC7A14 causes auditory neuropathy and retinitis pigmentosa mediated by lysosomal dysfunction. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk0942. [PMID: 35394837 PMCID: PMC8993119 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk0942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Lysosomes contribute to cellular homeostasis via processes including macromolecule degradation, nutrient sensing, and autophagy. Defective proteins related to lysosomal macromolecule catabolism are known to cause a range of lysosomal storage diseases; however, it is unclear whether mutations in proteins involved in homeostatic nutrient sensing mechanisms cause syndromic sensory disease. Here, we show that SLC7A14, a transporter protein mediating lysosomal uptake of cationic amino acids, is evolutionarily conserved in vertebrate mechanosensory hair cells and highly expressed in lysosomes of mammalian cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) and retinal photoreceptors. Autosomal recessive mutation of SLC7A14 caused loss of IHCs and photoreceptors, leading to presynaptic auditory neuropathy and retinitis pigmentosa in mice and humans. Loss-of-function mutation altered protein trafficking and increased basal autophagy, leading to progressive cell degeneration. This study implicates autophagy-lysosomal dysfunction in syndromic hearing and vision loss in mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberlee P. Giffen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Yi Li
- Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Huizhan Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | - Xiao-Chang Zhao
- Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Chang-Jun Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Ren-Juan Shen
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Tianying Wang
- Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Amanda Janesick
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Bo-Bei Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Shu-Sheng Gong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Bechara Kachar
- Laboratory of Cell Structure and Dynamics, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zi-Bing Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing 100730, China
| | - David Z. He
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
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31
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Dock4 Is Required for the Maintenance of Cochlear Hair Cells and Hearing Function. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
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32
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Abstract
Geckos are lizards capable of vocalization and can detect frequencies up to 5 kHz, but the mechanism of frequency discrimination is incompletely understood. The gecko’s auditory papilla has a unique arrangement over the high-frequency zone, with rows of mechanically sensitive hair bundles covered with gelatinous sallets. Lower-frequency hair cells are tuned by an electrical resonance employing Ca2+-activated K+ channels, but hair cells tuned above 1 kHz probably rely on a mechanical resonance of the sallets. The resonance may be boosted by an electromotile force from hair bundles found to be evoked by changes in hair cell membrane potential. This unusual mechanism operates independently of mechanotransduction and differs from mammals which amplify the mechanical input using the motor protein prestin. The auditory papilla of geckos contains two zones of sensory hair cells, one covered by a continuous tectorial membrane affixed to the hair bundles and the other by discrete tectorial sallets each surmounting a transverse row of bundles. Gecko papillae are thought to encode sound frequencies up to 5 kHz, but little is known about the hair cell electrical properties or their role in frequency tuning. We recorded from hair cells in the isolated auditory papilla of the crested gecko, Correlophus ciliatus, and found that in both the nonsalletal region and part of the salletal region, the cells displayed electrical tuning organized tonotopically. Along the salletal zone, occupying the apical two-thirds of the papilla, hair bundle length decreased threefold and stereociliary complement increased 1.5-fold. The two morphological variations predict a 13-fold gradient in bundle stiffness, confirmed experimentally, which, when coupled with salletal mass, could provide passive mechanical resonances from 1 to 6 kHz. Sinusoidal electrical currents injected across the papilla evoked hair bundle oscillations at twice the stimulation frequency, consistent with fast electromechanical responses from hair bundles of two opposing orientations across the papilla. Evoked bundle oscillations were diminished by reducing Ca2+ influx, but not by blocking the mechanotransduction channels or inhibiting prestin action, thereby distinguishing them from known electromechanical mechanisms in hair cells. We suggest the phenomenon may be a manifestation of an electromechanical amplification that augments the passive mechanical tuning of the sallets over the high-frequency region.
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33
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Prestin-Mediated Frequency Selectivity Does not Cover Ultrahigh Frequencies in Mice. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:769-784. [DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00839-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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34
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Qian F, Jiang X, Chai R, Liu D. The Roles of Solute Carriers in Auditory Function. Front Genet 2022; 13:823049. [PMID: 35154281 PMCID: PMC8827148 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.823049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Solute carriers (SLCs) are important transmembrane transporters with members organized into 65 families. They play crucial roles in transporting many important molecules, such as ions and some metabolites, across the membrane, maintaining cellular homeostasis. SLCs also play important roles in hearing. It has been found that mutations in some SLC members are associated with hearing loss. In this review, we summarize SLC family genes related with hearing dysfunction to reveal the vital roles of these transporters in auditory function. This summary could help us understand the auditory physiology and the mechanisms of hearing loss and further guide future studies of deafness gene identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuping Qian
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xiaoge Jiang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second People's Hospital of Nantong, Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Renjie Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Province High-Tech Key Laboratory for Bio-Medical Research, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Dong Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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35
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Butan C, Song Q, Bai JP, Tan WJT, Navaratnam D, Santos-Sacchi J. Single particle cryo-EM structure of the outer hair cell motor protein prestin. Nat Commun 2022; 13:290. [PMID: 35022426 PMCID: PMC8755724 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27915-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian outer hair cell (OHC) protein prestin (Slc26a5) differs from other Slc26 family members due to its unique piezoelectric-like property that drives OHC electromotility, the putative mechanism for cochlear amplification. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy to determine prestin’s structure at 3.6 Å resolution. Prestin is structurally similar to the anion transporter Slc26a9. It is captured in an inward-open state which may reflect prestin’s contracted state. Two well-separated transmembrane (TM) domains and two cytoplasmic sulfate transporter and anti-sigma factor antagonist (STAS) domains form a swapped dimer. The transmembrane domains consist of 14 transmembrane segments organized in two 7+7 inverted repeats, an architecture first observed in the bacterial symporter UraA. Mutation of prestin’s chloride binding site removes salicylate competition with anions while retaining the prestin characteristic displacement currents (Nonlinear Capacitance), undermining the extrinsic voltage sensor hypothesis for prestin function. Prestin, expressed in outer hair cell (OHC), belongs to the Slc26 transporter family and functions as a voltage-driven motor that drives OHC electromotility. Here, the authors report cryo-EM structure and characterization of gerbil prestin, with insights into its mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Butan
- Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Qiang Song
- Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jun-Ping Bai
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Winston J T Tan
- Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dhasakumar Navaratnam
- Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. .,Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. .,Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Joseph Santos-Sacchi
- Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. .,Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. .,Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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36
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Pavlidis P, Gouveris H, Nikolaidis V, Schittek G. Changes of serum levels of Caspase-3 after trauma and ototoxic damage of the cochlea in rabbits: An in vivo study. INDIAN JOURNAL OF OTOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/indianjotol.indianjotol_29_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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37
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Zheng J, Takahashi S, Zhou Y, Cheatham MA. Prestin and electromotility may serve multiple roles in cochlear outer hair cells. Hear Res 2021; 423:108428. [PMID: 34987016 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Outer hair cells (OHCs) are innervated by both medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents and type II afferents, which also innervate supporting cells to form a local neural network. It has also been demonstrated that prestin provides the molecular basis for OHC somatic electromotility, amplifying movements within the organ of Corti. Although not anticipated, early-onset OHC loss was found in two prestin transgenic mouse models that either lack prestin protein or lack electromotility. To uncover the molecular pathways that evoke OHC death, we profiled the coding transcriptome of OHCs from wildtype (WT), prestin-knockout (KO), and 499-knockin (KI) mice using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). scRNA-Seq transcriptomics and pathway analyses did not reveal common pathways associated with OHC loss observed in prestin-KO and 499-KI mice. Clustering enrichment analysis showed that increased gene expression in OHCs from prestin-KO mice was associated with lipid metabolic processes and cell death pathways. These mRNA profiles likely contribute to the OHC loss observed in prestin-KO mice and support the notion that prestin is also a structural protein, important for the normal plasma membrane compartmentalization that is essential to establish MOC efferent synapses. In contrast, the mRNA profile of OHCs from 499-KI mice did not provide a rational explanation of the early-onset OHC loss in this mutant. OHCs from 499-KI mice have normal plasma membrane compartmentalization and normal OHC-MOC contacts. However, 499 prestin lacks electromotility and appears to change the local neural network around OHCs, as more synaptic markers were found near neighboring supporting cells when compared to WT and prestin-KO mice. Thus, OHCs in prestin-KOs (no prestin protein, no electromotility) and 499-KIs (prestin protein present, no electromotility) may influence local neuronal networks in different ways. Collectively, our data suggest that prestin and its motile properties are important for OHC survival and the maintenance of local afferent/efferent circuits, as well as for its role in cochlear amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zheng
- Departments of Otolaryngology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Communication; The Knowles Hearing Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
| | - Satoe Takahashi
- Departments of Otolaryngology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Yingjie Zhou
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Communication
| | - Mary Ann Cheatham
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Communication; The Knowles Hearing Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
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38
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Progress in understanding the structural mechanism underlying prestin's electromotile activity. Hear Res 2021; 423:108423. [PMID: 34987017 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Prestin (SLC26A5), a member of the SLC26 transporter family, is the molecular actuator that drives OHC electromotility (eM). A wealth of biophysical data indicates that eM is mediated by an area motor mechanism, in which prestin molecules act as elementary actuators by changing their area in the membrane in response to changes in membrane potential. The area changes of a large and densely packed population of prestin molecules sum up, resulting in macroscopic cellular movement. At the single protein level, this model implies major voltage-driven conformational rearrangements. However, the nature of these structural dynamics remained unknown. A main obstacle in elucidating the eM mechanism has been the lack of structural information about SLC26 transporters. The recent emergence of several high-resolution cryo-EM structures of prestin as well as other SLC26 transporter family members now provides a reliable picture of prestin's molecular architecture. Thus, SLC26 transporters including prestin generally are dimers, and each protomer is folded according to a 7+7 transmembrane domain inverted repeat (7TMIR) architecture. Here, we review these structural findings and discuss insights into a potential molecular mechanism. Most important, distinct conformations were observed when purifying and imaging prestin bound to either its physiological ligand, chloride, or to competitively inhibitory anions, sulfate or salicylate. Despite differences in detail, these structural snapshots indicate that the conformational landscape of prestin includes rearrangements between the two major domains of prestin's transmembrane region (TMD), core and scaffold ('gate') domains. Notably, distinct conformations differ in the area the TMD occupies in the membrane and in their impact on the immediate lipid environment. Both effects can contribute to generate membrane deformation and thus may underly electromotility. Further functional studies will be necessary to determine whether these or similar structural rearrangements are driven by membrane potential to mediate piezoelectric activity. This article is part of the Special Issue Outer hair cell Edited by Joseph Santos-Sacchi and Kumar Navaratnam.
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Iwasa KH. Of mice and chickens: Revisiting the RC time constant problem. Hear Res 2021; 423:108422. [PMID: 34965897 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Avian hair cells depend on electrical resonance for frequency selectivity. The upper bound of the frequency range is limited by the RC time constant of hair cells because the sharpness of tuning requires that the resonance frequency must be lower than the RC roll-off frequency. In contrast, tuned mechanical vibration of the inner ear is the basis of frequency selectivity of the mammalian ear. This mechanical vibration is supported by outer hair cells (OHC) with their electromotility (or piezoelectricity), which is driven by the receptor potential. Thus, it is also subjected to the RC time constant problem. Association of OHCs with a system with mechanical resonance leads to piezoelectric resonance. This resonance can nullify the membrane capacitance and solves the RC time constant problem for OHCs. Therefore, avian and mammalian ears solve the same problem in the opposite way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuni H Iwasa
- NIDCD, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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40
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Bavi N, Clark MD, Contreras GF, Shen R, Reddy BG, Milewski W, Perozo E. The conformational cycle of prestin underlies outer-hair cell electromotility. Nature 2021; 600:553-558. [PMID: 34695838 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04152-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The voltage-dependent motor protein prestin (also known as SLC26A5) is responsible for the electromotive behaviour of outer-hair cells and underlies the cochlear amplifier1. Knockout or impairment of prestin causes severe hearing loss2-5. Despite the key role of prestin in hearing, the mechanism by which mammalian prestin senses voltage and transduces it into cellular-scale movements (electromotility) is poorly understood. Here we determined the structure of dolphin prestin in six distinct states using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. Our structural and functional data suggest that prestin adopts a unique and complex set of states, tunable by the identity of bound anions (Cl- or SO42-). Salicylate, a drug that can cause reversible hearing loss, competes for the anion-binding site of prestin, and inhibits its function by immobilizing prestin in a new conformation. Our data suggest that the bound anion together with its coordinating charged residues and helical dipole act as a dynamic voltage sensor. An analysis of all of the anion-dependent conformations reveals how structural rearrangements in the voltage sensor are coupled to conformational transitions at the protein-membrane interface, suggesting a previously undescribed mechanism of area expansion. Visualization of the electromotility cycle of prestin distinguishes the protein from the closely related SLC26 anion transporters, highlighting the basis for evolutionary specialization of the mammalian cochlear amplifier at a high resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navid Bavi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michael David Clark
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Gustavo F Contreras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rong Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bharat G Reddy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Rectify Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Wieslawa Milewski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Eduardo Perozo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Prestin derived OHC surface area reduction underlies age-related rescaling of frequency place coding. Hear Res 2021; 423:108406. [PMID: 34933788 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Outer hair cells (OHC) are key to the mammalian cochlear amplifier, powered by the lateral membrane protein Prestin. In this study, we explored age-related OHC changes and how the changes affected hearing in mouse. OHC nonlinear membrane capacitance measurements revealed that, starting upon completion of postnatal auditory development, a continuous reduction of total Prestin in OHCs accompanied by a significant reduction in their cell surface area. Prestin's density is unaffected by Prestin level drop over the whole age range tested, suggesting that the OHC size reduction is Prestin-dependent. Stereocilia length in aged OHCs remained unchanged but the first row stereocilia on the aged inner hair cells (IHCs) were elongated. Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) group delays became longer with aging, suggesting an apical shift in vibration on basilar membrane. Acoustic lesion experiments revealed an apical shift in damage place in old cochleae accompanied by a shallower progression in synaptic damage over a wider frequency range that was indicative of a broader frequency filter. Overall, these findings suggest that in aging cochlea, a shift in frequency place coding could occur due to the changes in cochlear active and passive mechanics. This article is part of the Special Issue Outer hair cell Edited by Joseph Santos-Sacchi and Kumar Navaratnam.
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Ahmed M, Moon R, Prajapati RS, James E, Basson MA, Streit A. The chromatin remodelling factor Chd7 protects auditory neurons and sensory hair cells from stress-induced degeneration. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1260. [PMID: 34732824 PMCID: PMC8566505 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02788-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons and sensory cells are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress due to their high oxygen demand during stimulus perception and transmission. The mechanisms that protect them from stress-induced death and degeneration remain elusive. Here we show that embryonic deletion of the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 7 (CHD7) in auditory neurons or hair cells leads to sensorineural hearing loss due to postnatal degeneration of both cell types. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that CHD7 controls the expression of major stress pathway components. In its absence, hair cells are hypersensitive, dying rapidly after brief exposure to stress inducers, suggesting that sound at the onset of hearing triggers their degeneration. In humans, CHD7 haploinsufficiency causes CHARGE syndrome, a disorder affecting multiple organs including the ear. Our findings suggest that CHD7 mutations cause developmentally silent phenotypes that predispose cells to postnatal degeneration due to a failure of protective mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohi Ahmed
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Floor 27 Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
| | - Ruth Moon
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Floor 27 Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Ravindra Singh Prajapati
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Floor 27 Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
- Leukaemia and Stem Cell Biology Group, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Elysia James
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - M Albert Basson
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Floor 27 Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Andrea Streit
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, Floor 27 Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
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Cochlear outer hair cell electromotility enhances organ of Corti motion on a cycle-by-cycle basis at high frequencies in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2025206118. [PMID: 34686590 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025206118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian hearing depends on an amplification process involving prestin, a voltage-sensitive motor protein that enables cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) to change length and generate force. However, it has been questioned whether this prestin-based somatic electromotility can operate fast enough in vivo to amplify cochlear vibrations at the high frequencies that mammals hear. In this study, we measured sound-evoked vibrations from within the living mouse cochlea and found that the top and bottom of the OHCs move in opposite directions at frequencies exceeding 20 kHz, consistent with fast somatic length changes. These motions are physiologically vulnerable, depend on prestin, and dominate the cochlea's vibratory response to high-frequency sound. This dominance was observed despite mechanisms that clearly low-pass filter the in vivo electromotile response. Low-pass filtering therefore does not critically limit the OHC's ability to move the organ of Corti on a cycle-by-cycle basis. Our data argue that electromotility serves as the primary high-frequency amplifying mechanism within the mammalian cochlea.
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44
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Qi Y, Xiong W, Yu S, Du Z, Qu T, He L, Wei W, Zhang L, Liu K, Li Y, He DZ, Gong S. Deletion of C1ql1 Causes Hearing Loss and Abnormal Auditory Nerve Fibers in the Mouse Cochlea. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:713651. [PMID: 34512267 PMCID: PMC8424102 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.713651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Complement C1q Like 1 (C1QL1), a secreted component of C1Q-related protein, is known to play an important role in synaptic maturation, regulation, and maintenance in the central nervous system. C1ql1 is expressed in adult cochlear inner and outer hair cells (IHCs and OHCs) with preferential expression in OHCs. We generated C1ql1 null mice to examine the role of C1QL1 in the auditory periphery. C1ql1-null mice exhibited progressive hearing loss with elevated thresholds of auditory brainstem response and distortion product otoacoustic emission. Confocal microscopy showed that the number of nerve fibers innervating both IHCs and OHCs was significantly reduced. However, spiral ganglion neurons appeared to be normal under electron microscopy. IHC development and survival were not affected by deletion of C1ql1. Voltage-clamp recording and immunocytochmistry combined with confocal microscopy showed C1ql1-null IHCs showed no significant reduction of pre-synaptic proteins and synaptic vesicle release. This is in contrast to significant OHC loss in the KO mice. Our study suggests that C1ql1 is essential for development of hair cell innervation and OHC survival. But maturation of presynaptic machinery in IHCs does not depend on C1QL1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Qi
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shukui Yu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengde Du
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tengfei Qu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lu He
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Otology, Sheng Jing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lingjun Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - David Z He
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Shusheng Gong
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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45
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Farrell B, Skidmore BL, Rajasekharan V, Brownell WE. A novel theoretical framework reveals more than one voltage-sensing pathway in the lateral membrane of outer hair cells. J Gen Physiol 2021; 152:151746. [PMID: 32384538 PMCID: PMC7335013 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201912447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Outer hair cell (OHC) electromotility amplifies acoustic vibrations throughout the frequency range of hearing. Electromotility requires that the lateral membrane protein prestin undergo a conformational change upon changes in the membrane potential to produce an associated displacement charge. The magnitude of the charge displaced and the mid-reaction potential (when one half of the charge is displaced) reflects whether the cells will produce sufficient gain at the resting membrane potential to boost sound in vivo. Voltage clamp measurements performed under near-identical conditions ex vivo show the charge density and mid-reaction potential are not always the same, confounding interpretation of the results. We compare the displacement charge measurements in OHCs from rodents with a theory shown to exhibit good agreement with in silico simulations of voltage-sensing reactions in membranes. This model equates the charge density to the potential difference between two pseudo-equilibrium states of the sensors when they are in a stable conformation and not contributing to the displacement current. The model predicts this potential difference to be one half of its value midway into the reaction, when one equilibrium conformation transforms to the other pseudo-state. In agreement with the model, we find the measured mid-reaction potential to increase as the charge density decreases to exhibit a negative slope of ∼1/2. This relationship suggests that the prestin sensors exhibit more than one stable hyperpolarized state and that voltage sensing occurs by more than one pathway. We determine the electric parameters for prestin sensors and use the analytical expressions of the theory to estimate the energy barriers for the two voltage-dependent pathways. This analysis explains the experimental results, supports the theoretical approach, and suggests that voltage sensing occurs by more than one pathway to enable amplification throughout the frequency range of hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Farrell
- Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Benjamin L Skidmore
- Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Vivek Rajasekharan
- Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - William E Brownell
- Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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46
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Tang Q, Xie MY, Zhang YL, Xue RY, Zhu XH, Yang H. Targeted deletion of Atoh8 results in severe hearing loss in mice. Genesis 2021; 59:e23442. [PMID: 34402594 PMCID: PMC9286369 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Atoh8, also named Math6, is a bHLH gene reported to have important functions in the developing nervous system, pancreas and kidney. However, the expression pattern and function of Atoh8 in the inner ear are still unclear. To study the function of Atoh8 in the developing mouse inner ear, we performed targeted deletion of Atoh8 by intercrossing Atoh8lacZ/+ mice. We studied the expression pattern of Atoh8 in the inner ear and found interesting results that Atoh8‐null (Atoh8lacZ/lacZ) mice were viable but smaller than their littermates and they were severely hearing impaired, which was confirmed by hearing tests (ABR, DPOAE). We collected 129 viable newborns from 18 litters by crossing Atoh8lacZ/+ mice and found that the distributions of Atoh8lacZ/+, Atoh8lacZ/lacZ and wild type were very close to their expected Mendelian ratio by χ2 testing. However, no remarkable morphological changes in cochleae in mutant mice were detected under plastic sectioning and electron microscopy. No remarkable differences in the expression of Myosin6, Prestin, TrkC, GAD65, Tuj1, or Calretinin were detected between the mutant mice and the control mice. These findings indicate that Atoh8 plays an important role in the development of normal hearing, while further studies are required to elucidate its exact function in hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Tang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Translational Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Meng-Yao Xie
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Translational Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-Li Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Translational Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ruo-Yan Xue
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Translational Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Translational Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Translational Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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47
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Oya R, Tsukamoto O, Sato T, Kato H, Matsuoka K, Oshima K, Kamakura T, Ohta Y, Imai T, Takashima S, Inohara H. Phosphorylation of MYL12 by Myosin Light Chain Kinase Regulates Cellular Shape Changes in Cochlear Hair Cells. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2021; 22:425-441. [PMID: 33877471 PMCID: PMC8329122 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-021-00796-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The organ of Corti is an auditory organ located in the cochlea, comprising hair cells (HCs) and other supporting cells. Cellular shape changes of HCs are important for the development of auditory epithelia and hearing function. It was previously observed that HCs and inner sulcus cells (ISCs) demonstrate cellular shape changes similar to the apical constriction of the neural epithelia. Apical constriction is induced via actomyosin cable contraction in the apical junctional complex and necessary for the physiological function of the epithelium. Actomyosin cable contraction is mainly regulated by myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) phosphorylation by myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). However, MRLC and MLCK isoforms expressed in HCs and ISCs are unknown. Hence, we investigated the expression patterns and roles of MRLCs and MLCKs in HCs. Droplet digital PCR revealed that HCs expressed MYL12A/B and MYL9, which are non-muscle MRLC and smooth muscle MLCK (smMLCK), respectively. Immunofluorescence staining throughout the organ of Corti demonstrated that only MYL12 was expressed in the apical portion of HCs, whereas MYL12 and MYL9 were expressed on ISCs. In addition, purified MYL12B was phosphorylated by smMLCK in vitro, and the harvested HCs contained phosphorylated MYL12. Furthermore, accompanied by the expansion of the cell area of outer HCs, MYL12 phosphorylation was reduced by ML-7, which is an inhibitor of smMLCK. In conclusion, MYL12 phosphorylation by smMLCK contributed to the apical constriction-like cellular shape change of HCs possibly relating to the development of auditory epithelia and hearing function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Oya
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine/Frontier Biosciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Osamu Tsukamoto
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine/Frontier Biosciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takashi Sato
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hisakazu Kato
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine/Frontier Biosciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ken Matsuoka
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine/Frontier Biosciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazuo Oshima
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takefumi Kamakura
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yumi Ohta
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takao Imai
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Seiji Takashima
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine/Frontier Biosciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hidenori Inohara
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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48
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Jamos AM, Hosier B, Davis S, Franklin TC. The Role of the Medial Olivocochlear Reflex in Acceptable Noise Level in Adults. J Am Acad Audiol 2021; 32:137-143. [PMID: 34062604 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1718705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The acceptable noise level (ANL) is a measurement used to quantify how much noise a person is willing to accept while listening to speech. ANL has been used to predict success with hearing aid use. However, physiological correlates of the ANL are poorly understood. One potential physiological correlate is the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR), which decreases the output of the cochlea and is thereby expected to increase noise tolerance. PURPOSE This study investigates the relationship between contralateral activation of the MOCR and tolerance of background noise. RESEARCH DESIGN This study recruited 22 young adult participants with normal hearing. ANL was measured using the Arizona Travelogue recording under headphones presented at the most comfortable level (MCL) with and without multitalker babble noise. The MOCR strength was evaluated in all participants by measuring the cochlear microphonic (CM) with and without 40 dB sound pressure level contralateral broadband noise (CBBN). DATA ANALYSIS The CM observed in response to a 500-Hz tone was measured with and without CBBN, and changes in response to fast Fourier transform amplitude at 500 Hz were used as an indicator of the MOCR effect. The ANL was calculated by subtracting the maximum acceptable background noise level from the MCL. Participants were divided into two groups based on their ANL: low-ANL (ANL < 7 dB) and moderate-ANL (ANL ≥ 7 dB). An independent samples t-test was used to compare CM enhancement between low-ANL and moderate-ANL groups. Additionally, Pearson's correlation was used to investigate the relationship between the ANL and the MOCR effect on the CM. RESULTS The results indicated that presentation of CBBN increased the CM amplitude, consistent with eliciting the MOCR. Participants in the low-ANL group had significantly larger CM enhancement than moderate-ANL participants. The results further revealed a significant correlation between the ANL and the MOCR effect on the CM. CONCLUSION This study suggests that a stronger MOCR, as assessed using CM enhancement, is associated with greater noise tolerance. This research provides a possible objective measure to predict background tolerance in patients and adds to our understanding about the MOCR function in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah M Jamos
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri
| | - Blair Hosier
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri
| | - Shelby Davis
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri
| | - Thomas C Franklin
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri
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Chen T, Rohacek AM, Caporizzo M, Nankali A, Smits JJ, Oostrik J, Lanting CP, Kücük E, Gilissen C, van de Kamp JM, Pennings RJE, Rakowiecki SM, Kaestner KH, Ohlemiller KK, Oghalai JS, Kremer H, Prosser BL, Epstein DJ. Cochlear supporting cells require GAS2 for cytoskeletal architecture and hearing. Dev Cell 2021; 56:1526-1540.e7. [PMID: 33964205 PMCID: PMC8137675 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, sound is detected by mechanosensory hair cells that are activated in response to vibrations at frequency-dependent positions along the cochlear duct. We demonstrate that inner ear supporting cells provide a structural framework for transmitting sound energy through the cochlear partition. Humans and mice with mutations in GAS2, encoding a cytoskeletal regulatory protein, exhibit hearing loss due to disorganization and destabilization of microtubule bundles in pillar and Deiters' cells, two types of inner ear supporting cells with unique cytoskeletal specializations. Failure to maintain microtubule bundle integrity reduced supporting cell stiffness, which in turn altered cochlear micromechanics in Gas2 mutants. Vibratory responses to sound were measured in cochleae from live mice, revealing defects in the propagation and amplification of the traveling wave in Gas2 mutants. We propose that the microtubule bundling activity of GAS2 imparts supporting cells with mechanical properties for transmitting sound energy through the cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingfang Chen
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alex M Rohacek
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew Caporizzo
- Department of Physiology, Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amir Nankali
- The Caruso Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeroen J Smits
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Jaap Oostrik
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Cornelis P Lanting
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Erdi Kücük
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Christian Gilissen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Jiddeke M van de Kamp
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald J E Pennings
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Staci M Rakowiecki
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Klaus H Kaestner
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kevin K Ohlemiller
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - John S Oghalai
- The Caruso Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hannie Kremer
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Benjamin L Prosser
- Department of Physiology, Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Douglas J Epstein
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Bader K, Dierkes L, Braun LH, Gummer AW, Dalhoff E, Zelle D. Test-retest reliability of distortion-product thresholds compared to behavioral auditory thresholds. Hear Res 2021; 406:108232. [PMID: 33984603 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
When referred to baseline measures, serial monitoring of pure-tone behavioral thresholds and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) can be used to detect the progression of cochlear damage. Semi-logarithmic DPOAE input-output (I/O) functions enable the computation of estimated distortion-product thresholds (EDPTs) by means of linear regression, a metric that provides a quantitative estimate of hearing loss due to cochlear-amplifier degradation. DPOAE wave interference and a suboptimal choice of stimulus levels limit the accuracy of EDPTs. This work identifies the test-retest reliability of EDPTs derived from short-pulse DPOAE level maps (EDPTLM), a method that circumvents limitations associated with both wave interference and suboptimal choice of stimulus levels. The test-retest reliability was compared to that of EDPTs derived from semi-logarithmic I/O functions (EDPTI/O) and that of behavioral thresholds acquired with pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and modified Békésy tracking audiometry (TA) to provide a foundation for identifying and interpreting significant threshold shifts. The DPOAE-based auditory thresholds (EDPTLM and EDPTI/O) and behavioral thresholds (PTA and TA) were recorded seven times within three months at 14 frequencies with f2 = 1-14 kHz in 20 ears from ten subjects with normal hearing (4PTA0.5-4kHz < 20 dB HL). To obtain EDPTLM, short-pulse DPOAEs were recorded using 21 L1,L2 pairs. Reconstruction of DPOAE growth behavior as a function of L1 and L2 using nonlinear curve fitting enabled the derivation of EDPTLM for each frequency. Test-retest reliability was determined using three different approaches: 1) centered thresholds, 2) average threshold differences, and 3) average absolute threshold differences, between each possible test session (N = 21). Test-retest reliability based on centered thresholds and average threshold differences showed no statistically significant difference between EDPTLM, EDPTI/O, PTA, and TA for the pooled analysis incorporating all stimulus frequencies. Average absolute threshold differences presented small but significant differences in test-retest reliability with median values of 3.00 dB for PTA, 3.20 dB for TA, 3.34 dB for EDPTLM, and 3.51 dB for EDPTI/O. A considerable frequency dependence of test-retest reliability was found; namely, the highest test-retest reliability was for EDPTLM at f2 = 11 - 14 kHz. Otherwise, at lower frequencies, the highest test-retest reliability was for TA at f2 =1 - 2 kHz. Overall, the test-retest reliability of EDPTLM was better than that of EDPTI/O and was similar to that for behavioral thresholds. Hence, deriving EDPTLM from individual level maps is a promising and sensitive method for objectively monitoring the state of the cochlea. Furthermore, the detection of an equidirectional threshold change at a single frequency in both EDPTLM and TA might allow reducing the threshold shift as indication of a follow-up examination from the clinical standard of 10 dB down to 5 dB. This stricter indicator might be beneficial when monitoring cochlear damage, for example ototoxicity, in the presence of (remnant) cochlear amplification at baseline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Bader
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Linda Dierkes
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lore Helene Braun
- Department of Radiooncology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Current address: Department of Radiooncology, Marienhospital Stuttgart, Böheimstraße 37, 70199 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Anthony W Gummer
- Section of Physiological Acoustics and Communication, Department of Otolaryngology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ernst Dalhoff
- Section of Physiological Acoustics and Communication, Department of Otolaryngology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dennis Zelle
- Section of Physiological Acoustics and Communication, Department of Otolaryngology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Current address: Redwave Medical GmbH, Hans-Knöll-Str. 6, 07745 Jena, Germany
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