1
|
Chess MM, Douglas W, Saunders J, Ettensohn CA. Genome-wide identification and spatiotemporal expression analysis of cadherin superfamily members in echinoderms. EvoDevo 2023; 14:15. [PMID: 38124068 PMCID: PMC10734073 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-023-00219-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cadherins are calcium-dependent transmembrane cell-cell adhesion proteins that are essential for metazoan development. They consist of three subfamilies: classical cadherins, which bind catenin, protocadherins, which contain 6-7 calcium-binding repeat domains, and atypical cadherins. Their functions include forming adherens junctions, establishing planar cell polarity (PCP), and regulating cell shape, proliferation, and migration. Because they are basal deuterostomes, echinoderms provide important insights into bilaterian evolution, but their only well-characterized cadherin is G-cadherin, a classical cadherin that is expressed by many embryonic epithelia. We aimed to better characterize echinoderm cadherins by conducting phylogenetic analyses and examining the spatiotemporal expression patterns of cadherin-encoding genes during Strongylocentrotus purpuratus development. RESULTS Our phylogenetic analyses conducted on two echinoid, three asteroid, and one crinoid species identified ten echinoderm cadherins, including one deuterostome-specific ortholog, cadherin-23, and an echinoderm-specific atypical cadherin that possibly arose in an echinoid-asteroid ancestor. Catenin-binding domains in dachsous-2 orthologs were found to be a deuterostome-specific innovation that was selectively lost in mouse, while those in Fat4 orthologs appeared to be Ambulacraria-specific and were selectively lost in non-crinoid echinoderms. The identified suite of echinoderm cadherins lacks vertebrate-specific innovations but contains two proteins that are present in protostomes and absent from mouse. The spatiotemporal expression patterns of four embryonically expressed cadherins (fat atypical cadherins 1 and 4, dachsous-2, and protocadherin-9) were dynamic and mirrored the expression pattern of Frizzled 5/8, a non-canonical Wnt PCP pathway receptor protein essential for archenteron morphogenesis. CONCLUSIONS The echinoderm cadherin toolkit is more similar to that of an ancient bilaterian predating protostomes and deuterostomes than it is to the suite of cadherins found in extant vertebrates. However, it also appears that deuterostomes underwent several cadherin-related innovations. Based on their similar spatiotemporal expression patterns and orthologous relationships to PCP-related and tumor-suppressing proteins, we hypothesize that sea urchin cadherins may play a role in regulating the shape and growth of embryonic epithelia and organs. Future experiments will examine cadherin expression in non-echinoid echinoderms and explore the functions of cadherins during echinoderm development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Macie M Chess
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - William Douglas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Josiah Saunders
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ivanchenko MV, Hathaway DM, Mulhall EM, Booth KT, Wang M, Peters CW, Klein AJ, Chen X, Li Y, György B, Corey DP. PCDH15 Dual-AAV Gene Therapy for Deafness and Blindness in Usher Syndrome Type 1F. bioRxiv 2023:2023.11.09.566447. [PMID: 38014037 PMCID: PMC10680673 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.09.566447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Usher syndrome type 1F (USH1F), resulting from mutations in the protocadherin-15 (PCDH15) gene, is characterized by congenital lack of hearing and balance, and progressive blindness in the form of retinitis pigmentosa. In this study, we explore a novel approach for USH1F gene therapy, exceeding the single AAV packaging limit by employing a dual adeno-associated virus (AAV) strategy to deliver the full-length PCDH15 coding sequence. We demonstrate the efficacy of this strategy in mouse USH1F models, effectively restoring hearing and balance in these mice. Importantly, our approach also proves successful in expressing PCDH15 in clinically relevant retinal models, including human retinal organoids and non-human primate retina, showing efficient targeting of photoreceptors and proper protein expression in the calyceal processes. This research represents a major step toward advancing gene therapy for USH1F and the multiple challenges of hearing, balance, and vision impairment.
Collapse
|
3
|
Derudas M, O’Reilly M, Kirkwood NK, Kenyon EJ, Grimsey S, Kitcher SR, Workman S, Bull JC, Ward SE, Kros CJ, Richardson GP. Charge and lipophilicity are required for effective block of the hair-cell mechano-electrical transducer channel by FM1-43 and its derivatives. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1247324. [PMID: 37900280 PMCID: PMC10601989 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1247324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The styryl dye FM1-43 is widely used to study endocytosis but behaves as a permeant blocker of the mechano-electrical transducer (MET) channel in sensory hair cells, loading rapidly and specifically into the cytoplasm of hair cells in a MET channel-dependent manner. Patch clamp recordings of mouse outer hair cells (OHCs) were used to determine how a series of structural modifications of FM1-43 affect MET channel block. Fluorescence microscopy was used to assess how the modifications influence hair-cell loading in mouse cochlear cultures and zebrafish neuromasts. Cochlear cultures were also used to evaluate otoprotective potential of the modified FM1-43 derivatives. Structure-activity relationships reveal that the lipophilic tail and the cationic head group of FM1-43 are both required for MET channel block in mouse cochlear OHCs; neither moiety alone is sufficient. The extent of MET channel block is augmented by increasing the lipophilicity/bulkiness of the tail, by reducing the number of positive charges in the head group from two to one, or by increasing the distance between the two charged head groups. Loading assays with zebrafish neuromasts and mouse cochlear cultures are broadly in accordance with these observations but reveal a loss of hair-cell specific labelling with increasing lipophilicity. Although FM1-43 and many of its derivatives are generally cytotoxic when tested on cochlear cultures in the presence of an equimolar concentration of the ototoxic antibiotic gentamicin (5 µM), at a 10-fold lower concentration (0.5 µM), two of the derivatives protect OHCs from cell death caused by 48 h-exposure to 5 µM gentamicin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Derudas
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Sussex Drug Discovery Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Molly O’Reilly
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Nerissa K. Kirkwood
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Emma J. Kenyon
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- School of Medicine, Institute of Life Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Sybil Grimsey
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Siân R. Kitcher
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Section on Neuronal Circuitry, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Shawna Workman
- Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - James C. Bull
- Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
| | - Simon E. Ward
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Corné J. Kros
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Guy P. Richardson
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
Inner ear hair cells assemble mechanosensitive hair bundles on their apical surface that transduce sounds and accelerations. Each hair bundle is comprised of ∼ 100 individual stereocilia that are arranged into rows of increasing height and width; their specific and precise architecture being necessary for mechanoelectrical transduction (MET). The actin cytoskeleton is fundamental to establishing this architecture, not only by forming the structural scaffold shaping each stereocilium, but also by composing rootlets and the cuticular plate that together provide a stable foundation supporting each stereocilium. In concert with the actin cytoskeleton, a large assortment of actin-binding proteins (ABPs) function to cross-link actin filaments into specific topologies, as well as control actin filament growth, severing, and capping. These processes are individually critical for sensory transduction and are all disrupted in hereditary forms of human hearing loss. In this review, we provide an overview of actin-based structures in the hair bundle and the molecules contributing to their assembly and functional properties. We also highlight recent advances in mechanisms driving stereocilia elongation and how these processes are tuned by MET.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinho Park
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States; Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Jonathan E Bird
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States; Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Peters CW, Hanlon KS, Ivanchenko MV, Zinn E, Linarte EF, Li Y, Levy JM, Liu DR, Kleinstiver BP, Indzhykulian AA, Corey DP. Rescue of hearing by adenine base editing in a humanized mouse model of Usher syndrome type 1F. Mol Ther 2023; 31:2439-2453. [PMID: 37312453 PMCID: PMC10421997 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Usher syndrome type 1F (USH1F), characterized by congenital lack of hearing and balance and progressive loss of vision, is caused by mutations in the PCDH15 gene. In the Ashkenazi population, a recessive truncation mutation accounts for a large proportion of USH1F cases. The truncation is caused by a single C→T mutation, which converts an arginine codon to a stop (R245X). To test the potential for base editors to revert this mutation, we developed a humanized Pcdh15R245X mouse model for USH1F. Mice homozygous for the R245X mutation were deaf and exhibited profound balance deficits, while heterozygous mice were unaffected. Here we show that an adenine base editor (ABE) is capable of reversing the R245X mutation to restore the PCDH15 sequence and function. We packaged a split-intein ABE into dual adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors and delivered them into cochleas of neonatal USH1F mice. Hearing was not restored in a Pcdh15 constitutive null mouse despite base editing, perhaps because of early disorganization of cochlear hair cells. However, injection of vectors encoding the split ABE into a late-deletion conditional Pcdh15 knockout rescued hearing. This study demonstrates the ability of an ABE to correct the PCDH15 R245X mutation in the cochlea and restore hearing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cole W Peters
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Killian S Hanlon
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Eric Zinn
- Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Yaqiao Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan M Levy
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Benjamin P Kleinstiver
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Artur A Indzhykulian
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - David P Corey
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ivanchenko MV, Hathaway DM, Klein AJ, Pan B, Strelkova O, De-la-Torre P, Wu X, Peters CW, Mulhall EM, Booth KT, Goldstein C, Brower J, Sotomayor M, Indzhykulian AA, Corey DP. Mini-PCDH15 gene therapy rescues hearing in a mouse model of Usher syndrome type 1F. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2400. [PMID: 37100771 PMCID: PMC10133396 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38038-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Usher syndrome type 1 F (USH1F), caused by mutations in the protocadherin-15 gene (PCDH15), is characterized by congenital deafness, lack of balance, and progressive blindness. In hair cells, the receptor cells of the inner ear, PCDH15 is a component of tip links, fine filaments which pull open mechanosensory transduction channels. A simple gene addition therapy for USH1F is challenging because the PCDH15 coding sequence is too large for adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. We use rational, structure-based design to engineer mini-PCDH15s in which 3-5 of the 11 extracellular cadherin repeats are deleted, but which still bind a partner protein. Some mini-PCDH15s can fit in an AAV. An AAV encoding one of these, injected into the inner ears of mouse models of USH1F, produces a mini-PCDH15 which properly forms tip links, prevents the degeneration of hair cell bundles, and rescues hearing. Mini-PCDH15s may be a useful therapy for the deafness of USH1F.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel M Hathaway
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alex J Klein
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bifeng Pan
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olga Strelkova
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pedro De-la-Torre
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xudong Wu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cole W Peters
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric M Mulhall
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin T Booth
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Corey Goldstein
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Brower
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marcos Sotomayor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Artur A Indzhykulian
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David P Corey
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
This review aims to survey the current state of mechanotransduction in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs), including their sensing of mechanical stimuli and transduction of mechanical signals that result in the acute functional modulation and longer-term transcriptomic and epigenetic regulation of blood vessels. The mechanosensors discussed include ion channels, plasma membrane-associated structures and receptors, and junction proteins. The mechanosignaling pathways presented include the cytoskeleton, integrins, extracellular matrix, and intracellular signaling molecules. These are followed by discussions on mechanical regulation of transcriptome and epigenetics, relevance of mechanotransduction to health and disease, and interactions between VSMCs and ECs. Throughout this review, we offer suggestions for specific topics that require further understanding. In the closing section on conclusions and perspectives, we summarize what is known and point out the need to treat the vasculature as a system, including not only VSMCs and ECs but also the extracellular matrix and other types of cells such as resident macrophages and pericytes, so that we can fully understand the physiology and pathophysiology of the blood vessel as a whole, thus enhancing the comprehension, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of vascular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Davis
- Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Scott Earley
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada
| | - Yi-Shuan Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, California
- Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Shu Chien
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, California
- Institute of Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Krey JF, Chatterjee P, Halford J, Cunningham CL, Perrin BJ, Barr-Gillespie PG. Control of stereocilia length during development of hair bundles. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3001964. [PMID: 37011103 PMCID: PMC10101650 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Assembly of the hair bundle, the sensory organelle of the inner ear, depends on differential growth of actin-based stereocilia. Separate rows of stereocilia, labeled 1 through 3 from tallest to shortest, lengthen or shorten during discrete time intervals during development. We used lattice structured illumination microscopy and surface rendering to measure dimensions of stereocilia from mouse apical inner hair cells during early postnatal development; these measurements revealed a sharp transition at postnatal day 8 between stage III (row 1 and 2 widening; row 2 shortening) and stage IV (final row 1 lengthening and widening). Tip proteins that determine row 1 lengthening did not accumulate simultaneously during stages III and IV; while the actin-bundling protein EPS8 peaked at the end of stage III, GNAI3 peaked several days later-in early stage IV-and GPSM2 peaked near the end of stage IV. To establish the contributions of key macromolecular assemblies to bundle structure, we examined mouse mutants that eliminated tip links (Cdh23v2J or Pcdh15av3J), transduction channels (TmieKO), or the row 1 tip complex (Myo15ash2). Cdh23v2J/v2J and Pcdh15av3J/av3J bundles had adjacent stereocilia in the same row that were not matched in length, revealing that a major role of these cadherins is to synchronize lengths of side-by-side stereocilia. Use of the tip-link mutants also allowed us to distinguish the role of transduction from effects of transduction proteins themselves. While levels of GNAI3 and GPSM2, which stimulate stereocilia elongation, were greatly attenuated at the tips of TmieKO/KO row 1 stereocilia, they accumulated normally in Cdh23v2J/v2J and Pcdh15av3J/av3J stereocilia. These results reinforced the suggestion that the transduction proteins themselves facilitate localization of proteins in the row 1 complex. By contrast, EPS8 concentrates at tips of all TmieKO/KO, Cdh23v2J/v2J, and Pcdh15av3J/av3J stereocilia, correlating with the less polarized distribution of stereocilia lengths in these bundles. These latter results indicated that in wild-type hair cells, the transduction complex prevents accumulation of EPS8 at the tips of shorter stereocilia, causing them to shrink (rows 2 and 3) or disappear (row 4 and microvilli). Reduced rhodamine-actin labeling at row 2 stereocilia tips of tip-link and transduction mutants suggests that transduction's role is to destabilize actin filaments there. These results suggest that regulation of stereocilia length occurs through EPS8 and that CDH23 and PCDH15 regulate stereocilia lengthening beyond their role in gating mechanotransduction channels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn F. Krey
- Oregon Hearing Research Center and Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Paroma Chatterjee
- Oregon Hearing Research Center and Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Julia Halford
- Oregon Hearing Research Center and Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Christopher L. Cunningham
- Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Benjamin J. Perrin
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Peter G. Barr-Gillespie
- Oregon Hearing Research Center and Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Liu J, Chen H, Lin X, Yi J, Ye W, Wei F, Zhu X, Huang J, Su J. Age-related Activation of Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-Stimulator of Interferon Genes Signaling in the Auditory System is Associated with Presbycusis in C57BL/6J Male Mice. Neuroscience 2022; 481:73-84. [PMID: 34848262 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss (ARHL), is primarily associated with sensory or transduction nerve cell degeneration in the peripheral and/or central auditory systems. During aging, the auditory system shows mitochondrial dysfunction and increased inflammatory responses. Mitochondrial dysfunction promotes leakage of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytosol, which activates the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway to induce type I interferon and inflammatory responses. However, whether this pathway is involved in the occurrence and development of ARHL is unknown. This study aimed to determine whether there are age-related changes in the levels of cytosolic mtDNA and cGAS-STING pathway activation in the auditory pathway and to explore their relationship with ARHL. The results showed that cGAS-positive immunoreactive cells were observed in the cochlea, inferior colliculus, and auditory cortex. Levels of cytosolic mtDNA, cGAS, STING, phosphorylated interferon regulatory factor 3, and cytokines were significantly increased in the cochlea, inferior colliculus, and auditory cortex of 6-, 9-, and 12-month-old mice compared with 3-month-old mice. These findings suggested that cytosolic mtDNA may play an important role in the pathogenesis of ARHL by activating cGAS-STING-mediated type I interferon and inflammatory responses.
Collapse
|
10
|
Miles A, Blair C, Emili A, Tropepe V. Usher syndrome type 1-associated gene, pcdh15b, is required for photoreceptor structural integrity in zebrafish. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:272551. [PMID: 34668518 PMCID: PMC8669488 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.048965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Blindness associated with Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1) is typically characterized as rod photoreceptor degeneration, followed by secondary loss of cones. The mechanisms leading to blindness are unknown because most genetic mouse models only recapitulate auditory defects. We generated zebrafish mutants for one of the USH1 genes, protocadherin-15b (pcdh15b), a putative cell adhesion molecule. Zebrafish Pcdh15 is expressed exclusively in photoreceptors within calyceal processes (CPs), at the base of the outer segment (OS) and within the synapse. In our mutants, rod and cone photoreceptor integrity is compromised, with early and progressively worsening abnormal OS disc growth and detachment, in part due to weakening CP contacts. These effects were attenuated or exacerbated by growth in dark and bright-light conditions, respectively. We also describe novel evidence for structural defects in synapses of pcdh15b mutant photoreceptors. Cell death does not accompany these defects at early stages, suggesting that photoreceptor structural defects, rather than overt cell loss, may underlie vision deficits. Thus, we present the first genetic animal model of a PCDH15-associated retinopathy that can be used to understand the aetiology of blindness in USH1. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: We present one of the first genetic animal mutants for PCDH15 that displays a severe, early retinopathy and suggests that zebrafish could be a useful model for PCDH15-associated retinal phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Miles
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Clarke Blair
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Andrew Emili
- Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Vincent Tropepe
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ivanchenko MV, Indzhykulian AA, Corey DP. Electron Microscopy Techniques for Investigating Structure and Composition of Hair-Cell Stereociliary Bundles. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:744248. [PMID: 34746139 PMCID: PMC8569945 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.744248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair cells—the sensory cells of the vertebrate inner ear—bear at their apical surfaces a bundle of actin-filled protrusions called stereocilia, which mediate the cells’ mechanosensitivity. Hereditary deafness is often associated with morphological disorganization of stereocilia bundles, with the absence or mislocalization within stereocilia of specific proteins. Thus, stereocilia bundles are closely examined to understand most animal models of hereditary hearing loss. Because stereocilia have a diameter less than a wavelength of light, light microscopy is not adequate to reveal subtle changes in morphology or protein localization. Instead, electron microscopy (EM) has proven essential for understanding stereocilia bundle development, maintenance, normal function, and dysfunction in disease. Here we review a set of EM imaging techniques commonly used to study stereocilia, including optimal sample preparation and best imaging practices. These include conventional and immunogold transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as focused-ion-beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), which enables 3-D serial reconstruction of resin-embedded biological structures at a resolution of a few nanometers. Parameters for optimal sample preparation, fixation, immunogold labeling, metal coating and imaging are discussed. Special attention is given to protein localization in stereocilia using immunogold labeling. Finally, we describe the advantages and limitations of these EM techniques and their suitability for different types of studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maryna V Ivanchenko
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Artur A Indzhykulian
- Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David P Corey
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sethna S, Zein WM, Riaz S, Giese AP, Schultz JM, Duncan T, Hufnagel RB, Brewer CC, Griffith AJ, Redmond TM, Riazuddin S, Friedman TB, Ahmed ZM. Proposed therapy, developed in a Pcdh15-deficient mouse, for progressive loss of vision in human Usher syndrome. eLife 2021; 10:67361. [PMID: 34751129 PMCID: PMC8577840 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Usher syndrome type I (USH1) is characterized by deafness, vestibular areflexia, and progressive retinal degeneration. The protein-truncating p.Arg245* founder variant of PCDH15 (USH1F) has an ~2% carrier frequency amongst Ashkenazi Jews accounts for ~60% of their USH1 cases. Here, longitudinal phenotyping in 13 USH1F individuals revealed progressive retinal degeneration, leading to severe vision loss with macular atrophy by the sixth decade. Half of the affected individuals were legally blind by their mid-50s. The mouse Pcdh15R250X variant is equivalent to human p.Arg245*. Homozygous Pcdh15R250X mice also have visual deficits and aberrant light-dependent translocation of the phototransduction cascade proteins, arrestin, and transducin. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-specific retinoid cycle proteins, RPE65 and CRALBP, were also reduced in Pcdh15R250X mice, indicating a dual role for protocadherin-15 in photoreceptors and RPE. Exogenous 9-cis retinal improved ERG amplitudes in Pcdh15R250X mice, suggesting a basis for a clinical trial of FDA-approved retinoids to preserve vision in USH1F patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saumil Sethna
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Wadih M Zein
- Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Sehar Riaz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States.,National Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Arnaud Pj Giese
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Julie M Schultz
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Todd Duncan
- Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Robert B Hufnagel
- Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Carmen C Brewer
- Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, United States
| | - Andrew J Griffith
- Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Bethesda, United States
| | - T Michael Redmond
- Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Saima Riazuddin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Thomas B Friedman
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Zubair M Ahmed
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States.,Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States.,Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Farhadi M, Razmara E, Balali M, Hajabbas Farshchi Y, Falah M. How Transmembrane Inner Ear (TMIE) plays role in the auditory system: A mystery to us. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:5869-5883. [PMID: 33987950 PMCID: PMC8256367 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Different cellular mechanisms contribute to the hearing sense, so it is obvious that any disruption in such processes leads to hearing impairment that greatly influences the global economy and quality of life of the patients and their relatives. In the past two decades, transmembrane inner ear (TMIE) protein has received a great deal of research interest because its impairments cause hereditary deafness in humans. This evolutionarily conserved membrane protein contributes to a fundamental complex that plays role in the maintenance and function of the sensory hair cells. Although the critical roles of the TMIE in mechanoelectrical transduction or hearing procedures have been discussed, there are little to no review papers summarizing the roles of the TMIE in the auditory system. In order to fill this gap, herein, we discuss the important roles of this protein in the auditory system including its role in mechanotransduction, olivocochlear synapse, morphology and different signalling pathways; we also review the genotype-phenotype correlation that can per se show the possible roles of this protein in the auditory system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Farhadi
- ENT and Head and Neck Research Center and DepartmentThe Five Senses Health InstituteHazrat Rasoul Akram HospitalIran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Ehsan Razmara
- Australian Regenerative Medicine InstituteMonash UniversityClaytonVICAustralia
| | - Maryam Balali
- ENT and Head and Neck Research Center and DepartmentThe Five Senses Health InstituteHazrat Rasoul Akram HospitalIran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Yeganeh Hajabbas Farshchi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular BiologyTehran Medical SciencesIslamic Azad UniversityTehranIran
| | - Masoumeh Falah
- ENT and Head and Neck Research Center and DepartmentThe Five Senses Health InstituteHazrat Rasoul Akram HospitalIran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Mulhall EM, Ward A, Yang D, Koussa MA, Corey DP, Wong WP. Single-molecule force spectroscopy reveals the dynamic strength of the hair-cell tip-link connection. Nat Commun 2021; 12:849. [PMID: 33558532 PMCID: PMC7870652 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21033-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The conversion of auditory and vestibular stimuli into electrical signals is initiated by force transmitted to a mechanotransduction channel through the tip link, a double stranded protein filament held together by two adhesion bonds in the middle. Although thought to form a relatively static structure, the dynamics of the tip-link connection has not been measured. Here, we biophysically characterize the strength of the tip-link connection at single-molecule resolution. We show that a single tip-link bond is more mechanically stable relative to classic cadherins, and our data indicate that the double stranded tip-link connection is stabilized by single strand rebinding facilitated by strong cis-dimerization domains. The measured lifetime of seconds suggests the tip-link is far more dynamic than previously thought. We also show how Ca2+ alters tip-link lifetime through elastic modulation and reveal the mechanical phenotype of a hereditary deafness mutation. Together, these data show how the tip link is likely to function during mechanical stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Mulhall
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrew Ward
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Darren Yang
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mounir A Koussa
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David P Corey
- Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Wesley P Wong
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Xu J, Zhang J, Yang D, Song J, Pallas B, Zhang C, Hu J, Peng X, Christensen ND, Han R, Chen YE. Gene Editing in Rabbits: Unique Opportunities for Translational Biomedical Research. Front Genet 2021; 12:642444. [PMID: 33584832 PMCID: PMC7876448 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.642444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rabbit is a classic animal model for biomedical research, but the production of gene targeted transgenic rabbits had been extremely challenging until the recent advent of gene editing tools. More than fifty gene knockout or knock-in rabbit models have been reported in the past decade. Gene edited (GE) rabbit models, compared to their counterpart mouse models, may offer unique opportunities in translational biomedical research attributed primarily to their relatively large size and long lifespan. More importantly, GE rabbit models have been found to mimic several disease pathologies better than their mouse counterparts particularly in fields focused on genetically inherited diseases, cardiovascular diseases, ocular diseases, and others. In this review we present selected examples of research areas where GE rabbit models are expected to make immediate contributions to the understanding of the pathophysiology of human disease, and support the development of novel therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xu
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Dongshan Yang
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jun Song
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Brooke Pallas
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Chen Zhang
- Biomedical Sciences and Biophysics Graduate Program, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Jiafen Hu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn State Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Xuwen Peng
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Neil D Christensen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn State Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA, United States.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Renzhi Han
- Biomedical Sciences and Biophysics Graduate Program, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Y Eugene Chen
- Center for Advanced Models for Translational Sciences and Therapeutics, University of Michigan Medical Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Pavlinkova G. Molecular Aspects of the Development and Function of Auditory Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010131. [PMID: 33374462 PMCID: PMC7796308 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
This review provides an up-to-date source of information on the primary auditory neurons or spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea. These neurons transmit auditory information in the form of electric signals from sensory hair cells to the first auditory nuclei of the brain stem, the cochlear nuclei. Congenital and acquired neurosensory hearing loss affects millions of people worldwide. An increasing body of evidence suggest that the primary auditory neurons degenerate due to noise exposure and aging more readily than sensory cells, and thus, auditory neurons are a primary target for regenerative therapy. A better understanding of the development and function of these neurons is the ultimate goal for long-term maintenance, regeneration, and stem cell replacement therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the key molecular factors responsible for the function and neurogenesis of the primary auditory neurons, as well as a brief introduction to stem cell research focused on the replacement and generation of auditory neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Pavlinkova
- BIOCEV, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Qian X, He Z, Wang Y, Chen B, Hetrick A, Dai C, Chi F, Li H, Ren D. Hair cell uptake of gentamicin in the developing mouse utricle. J Cell Physiol 2020; 236:5235-5252. [PMID: 33368220 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Intratympanic injection of gentamicin has proven to be an effective therapy for intractable vestibular dysfunction. However, most studies to date have focused on the cochlea, so little is known about the distribution and uptake of gentamicin by the counterpart of the auditory system, specifically vestibular hair cells (HCs). Here, with a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches, we used a gentamicin-Texas Red (GTTR) conjugate to investigate the mechanisms of gentamicin vestibulotoxicity in the developing mammalian utricular HCs. In vivo, GTTR fluorescence was concentrated in the apical cytoplasm and the cellular membrane of neonatal utricular HCs, but scarce in the nucleus of HCs and supporting cells. Quantitative analysis showed the GTTR uptake by striolar HCs was significantly higher than that in the extrastriola. In addition, the GTTR fluorescence intensity in the striola was increased gradually from 1 to 8 days, peaking at 8-9 days postnatally. In vitro, utricle explants were incubated with GTTR and candidate uptake conduits, including mechanotransduction (MET) channels and endocytosis in the HC, were inhibited separately. GTTR uptake by HCs could be inhibited by quinine, a blocker of MET channels, under both normal and stressed conditions. Meanwhile, endocytic inhibition only reduced GTTR uptake in the CoCl2 hypoxia model. In sum, the maturation of MET channels mediated uptake of GTTR into vestibular HCs. Under stressed conditions, MET channels play a pronounced role, manifested by channel-dependent stress enhanced GTTR permeation, while endocytosis participates in GTTR entry in a more selective manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Qian
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, China
| | - Ziyu He
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, China
| | - Yanmei Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, China
| | - Binjun Chen
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, China
| | - Alisa Hetrick
- Research Service, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Chunfu Dai
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, China
| | - Fanglu Chi
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, China
| | - Hongzhe Li
- Research Service, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, California, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Dongdong Ren
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ramzan K, Al-Numair NS, Al-Ageel S, Elbaik L, Sakati N, Al-Hazzaa SAF, Al-Owain M, Imtiaz F. Identification of Novel CDH23 Variants Causing Moderate to Profound Progressive Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1474. [PMID: 33316915 DOI: 10.3390/genes11121474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutant alleles of CDH23, a gene that encodes a putative calcium-dependent cell-adhesion glycoprotein with multiple cadherin-like domains, are responsible for both recessive DFNB12 nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) and Usher syndrome 1D (USH1D). The encoded protein cadherin 23 (CDH23) plays a vital role in maintaining normal cochlear and retinal function. The present study’s objective was to elucidate the role of DFNB12 allelic variants of CDH23 in Saudi Arabian patients. Four affected offspring of a consanguineous family with autosomal recessive moderate to profound NSHL without any vestibular or retinal dysfunction were investigated for molecular exploration of genes implicated in hearing impairment. Parallel to this study, we illustrate some possible pitfalls that resulted from unexpected allelic heterogeneity during homozygosity mapping due to identifying a shared homozygous region unrelated to the disease locus. Compound heterozygous missense variants (p.(Asp918Asn); p.(Val1670Asp)) in CDH23 were identified in affected patients by exome sequencing. Both the identified missense variants resulted in a substitution of the conserved residues and evaluation by multiple in silico tools predicted their pathogenicity and variable disruption of CDH23 domains. Three-dimensional structure analysis of human CDH23 confirmed that the residue Asp918 is located at a highly conserved DXD peptide motif and is directly involved in “Ca2+” ion contact. In conclusion, our study identifies pathogenic CDH23 variants responsible for isolated moderate to profound NSHL in Saudi patients and further highlights the associated phenotypic variability with a genotypic hierarchy of CDH23 mutations. The current investigation also supports the application of molecular testing in the clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling of hearing loss.
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
Sound-induced mechanical stimuli are detected by elaborate mechanosensory transduction (MT) machinery in highly specialized hair cells of the inner ear. Genetic studies of inherited deafness in the past decades have uncovered several molecular constituents of the MT complex, and intense debate has surrounded the molecular identity of the pore-forming subunits. How the MT components function in concert in response to physical stimulation is not fully understood. In this review, we summarize and discuss multiple lines of evidence supporting the hypothesis that transmembrane channel-like 1 is a long-sought MT channel subunit. We also review specific roles of other components of the MT complex, including protocadherin 15, cadherin 23, lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 5, transmembrane inner ear, calcium and integrin-binding family member 2, and ankyrins. Based on these recent advances, we propose a unifying theory of hair cell MT that may reconcile most of the functional discoveries obtained to date. Finally, we discuss key questions that need to be addressed for a comprehensive understanding of hair cell MT at molecular and atomic levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wang Zheng
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
| | - Jeffrey R Holt
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Whatley M, Francis A, Ng ZY, Khoh XE, Atlas MD, Dilley RJ, Wong EYM. Usher Syndrome: Genetics and Molecular Links of Hearing Loss and Directions for Therapy. Front Genet 2020; 11:565216. [PMID: 33193648 PMCID: PMC7642844 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.565216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Usher syndrome (USH) is an autosomal recessive (AR) disorder that permanently and severely affects the senses of hearing, vision, and balance. Three clinically distinct types of USH have been identified, decreasing in severity from Type 1 to 3, with symptoms of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and vestibular dysfunction. There are currently nine confirmed and two suspected USH-causative genes, and a further three candidate loci have been mapped. The proteins encoded by these genes form complexes that play critical roles in the development and maintenance of cellular structures within the inner ear and retina, which have minimal capacity for repair or regeneration. In the cochlea, stereocilia are located on the apical surface of inner ear hair cells (HC) and are responsible for transducing mechanical stimuli from sound pressure waves into chemical signals. These signals are then detected by the auditory nerve fibers, transmitted to the brain and interpreted as sound. Disease-causing mutations in USH genes can destabilize the tip links that bind the stereocilia to each other, and cause defects in protein trafficking and stereocilia bundle morphology, thereby inhibiting mechanosensory transduction. This review summarizes the current knowledge on Usher syndrome with a particular emphasis on mutations in USH genes, USH protein structures, and functional analyses in animal models. Currently, there is no cure for USH. However, the genetic therapies that are rapidly developing will benefit from this compilation of detailed genetic information to identify the most effective strategies for restoring functional USH proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meg Whatley
- Ear Science Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Abbie Francis
- Ear Science Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Emergency Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Zi Ying Ng
- Ear Science Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Xin Ee Khoh
- Ear Science Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Marcus D. Atlas
- Ear Science Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Ear Sciences Centre, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Rodney J. Dilley
- Ear Science Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Ear Sciences Centre, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Elaine Y. M. Wong
- Ear Science Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Ear Sciences Centre, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Michel V, Pepermans E, Boutet de Monvel J, England P, Nouaille S, Aghaie A, Delhommel F, Wolff N, Perfettini I, Hardelin JP, Petit C, Bahloul A. Interaction of protocadherin-15 with the scaffold protein whirlin supports its anchoring of hair-bundle lateral links in cochlear hair cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16430. [PMID: 33009420 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73158-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The hair bundle of cochlear hair cells is the site of auditory mechanoelectrical transduction. It is formed by three rows of stiff microvilli-like protrusions of graduated heights, the short, middle-sized, and tall stereocilia. In developing and mature sensory hair cells, stereocilia are connected to each other by various types of fibrous links. Two unconventional cadherins, protocadherin-15 (PCDH15) and cadherin-23 (CDH23), form the tip-links, whose tension gates the hair cell mechanoelectrical transduction channels. These proteins also form transient lateral links connecting neighboring stereocilia during hair bundle morphogenesis. The proteins involved in anchoring these diverse links to the stereocilia dense actin cytoskeleton remain largely unknown. We show that the long isoform of whirlin (L-whirlin), a PDZ domain-containing submembrane scaffold protein, is present at the tips of the tall stereocilia in mature hair cells, together with PCDH15 isoforms CD1 and CD2; L-whirlin localization to the ankle-link region in developing hair bundles moreover depends on the presence of PCDH15-CD1 also localizing there. We further demonstrate that L-whirlin binds to PCDH15 and CDH23 with moderate-to-high affinities in vitro. From these results, we suggest that L-whirlin is part of the molecular complexes bridging PCDH15-, and possibly CDH23-containing lateral links to the cytoskeleton in immature and mature stereocilia.
Collapse
|
22
|
Ding D, Manohar S, Jiang H, Salvi R. Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin causes massive damage to the developing auditory and vestibular system. Hear Res 2020; 396:108073. [PMID: 32956992 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), a cholesterol chelator used to treat Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) lysosomal storage disease, causes hearing loss in mammals by preferentially destroying outer hair cells. Because cholesterol plays an important role in early neural development, we hypothesized that HPβCD would cause more extensive damage to postnatal cochlear and vestibular structures in than adult rats. This hypothesis was tested by administering HPβCD to adult rats and postnatal day 3 (P3) cochlear and vestibular organ cultures. Adult rats treated with HPβCD developed hearing impairment and outer hair cell loss 3-day post-treatment; damage increased with dose from the high frequency base toward the low-frequency apex. The HPβCD-induced histopathologies were more severe and widespread in cochlear and vestibular cultures at P3 than in adults. HPβCD destroyed both outer and inner hair cells, auditory nerve fibers and spiral ganglion neurons as well as type I and type II vestibular hair cells and vestibular ganglion neurons. The early stage of HPβCD damage involved disruption of hair cell mechanotransduction and destruction of stereocilia. HPβCD-mediated apoptosis in P3 cultures was most-strongly initiated by activation of the extrinsic caspase-8 cell death pathway in cochlear and vestibular hair cells and neurons followed by activation of executioner caspase-3. Thus, HPβCD is toxic to all types of postnatal cochlear and vestibular hair cells and neurons in vitro whereas in vivo it only appears to destroy outer hair cells in adult cochleae. The more severe HPβCD-induced damage in postnatal cultures could be due to greater drug bioavailability in vitro and/or greater vulnerability of the developing inner ear.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dalian Ding
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, University at Buffalo, 137 Cary Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214, United States
| | - Senthilvelan Manohar
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, University at Buffalo, 137 Cary Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214, United States
| | - Haiyan Jiang
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, University at Buffalo, 137 Cary Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214, United States
| | - Richard Salvi
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, University at Buffalo, 137 Cary Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Nadar-Ponniah PT, Taiber S, Caspi M, Koffler-Brill T, Dror AA, Siman-Tov R, Rubinstein M, Padmanabhan K, Luxenburg C, Lang RA, Avraham KB, Rosin-Arbesfeld R. Striatin Is Required for Hearing and Affects Inner Hair Cells and Ribbon Synapses. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:615. [PMID: 32766247 PMCID: PMC7381154 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Striatin, a subunit of the serine/threonine phosphatase PP2A, is a core member of the conserved striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complexes. The protein is expressed in the cell junctions between epithelial cells, which play a role in maintaining cell-cell adhesion. Since the cell junctions are crucial for the function of the mammalian inner ear, we examined the localization and function of striatin in the mouse cochlea. Our results show that in neonatal mice, striatin is specifically expressed in the cell-cell junctions of the inner hair cells, the receptor cells in the mammalian cochlea. Auditory brainstem response measurements of striatin-deficient mice indicated a progressive, high-frequency hearing loss, suggesting that striatin is essential for normal hearing. Moreover, scanning electron micrographs of the organ of Corti revealed a moderate degeneration of the outer hair cells in the middle and basal regions, concordant with the high-frequency hearing loss. Additionally, striatin-deficient mice show aberrant ribbon synapse maturation. Loss of the outer hair cells, combined with the aberrant ribbon synapse distribution, may lead to the observed auditory impairment. Together, these results suggest a novel function for striatin in the mammalian auditory system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prathamesh T. Nadar-Ponniah
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shahar Taiber
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michal Caspi
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tal Koffler-Brill
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Amiel A. Dror
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Israel
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Ronen Siman-Tov
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Moran Rubinstein
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Goldschleger Eye Research Institute, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Krishnanand Padmanabhan
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Chen Luxenburg
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Richard A. Lang
- Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Karen B. Avraham
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Rina Rosin-Arbesfeld
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Sánchez-Benito D, Hyppolito MA, Alvarez-Morujo AJ, López DE, Gómez-Nieto R. Morphological and molecular correlates of altered hearing sensitivity in the genetically audiogenic seizure-prone hamster GASH/Sal. Hear Res 2020; 392:107973. [PMID: 32402894 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.107973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Rodent models of audiogenic seizures, in which seizures are precipitated by an abnormal response of the brain to auditory stimuli, are crucial to investigate the neural bases underlying ictogenesis. Despite significant advances in understanding seizure generation in the inferior colliculus, namely the epileptogenic nucleus, little is known about the contribution of lower auditory stations to the seizure-prone network. Here, we examined the cochlea and cochlear nucleus of the genetic audiogenic seizure hamster from Salamanca (GASH/Sal), a model of reflex epilepsy that exhibits generalized tonic-clonic seizures in response to loud sound. GASH/Sal animals under seizure-free conditions were compared with matched control hamsters in a multi-technical approach that includes auditory brainstem responses (ABR) testing, histology, scanning electron microscopy analysis, immunohistochemistry, quantitative morphometry and gene expression analysis (RT-qPCR). The cochlear histopathology of the GASH/Sal showed preservation of the sensory hair cells, but a significant loss of spiral ganglion neurons and mild atrophy of the stria vascularis. At the electron microscopy level, the reticular lamina exhibited disarray of stereociliary tufts with blebs, loss or elongated stereocilia as well as non-parallel rows of outer hair cells due to protrusions of Deiters' cells. At the molecular level, the abnormal gene expression patterns of prestin, cadherin 23, protocadherin 15, vesicular glutamate transporters 1 (Vglut1) and -2 (Vglut2) indicated that the hair-cell mechanotransduction and cochlear amplification were markedly altered. These were manifestations of a cochlear neuropathy that correlated to ABR waveform I alterations and elevated auditory thresholds. In the cochlear nucleus, the distribution of VGLUT2-immunolabeled puncta was differently affected in each subdivision, showing significant increases in magnocellular regions of the ventral cochlear nucleus and drastic reductions in the granule cell domain. This modified inputs lead to disruption of Vglut1 and Vglut2 gene expression in the cochlear nucleus. In sum, our study provides insight into the morphological and molecular traits associated with audiogenic seizure susceptibility in the GASH/Sal, suggesting an upward spread of abnormal glutamatergic transmission throughout the primary acoustic pathway to the epileptogenic region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Sánchez-Benito
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Miguel A Hyppolito
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Hearing, Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonio J Alvarez-Morujo
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Dolores E López
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ricardo Gómez-Nieto
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain; Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Hadi S, Alexander AJ, Vélez-Ortega AC, Frolenkov GI. Myosin-XVa Controls Both Staircase Architecture and Diameter Gradation of Stereocilia Rows in the Auditory Hair Cell Bundles. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2020; 21:121-35. [PMID: 32152769 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-020-00745-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian hair cells develop their mechanosensory bundles through consecutive phases of stereocilia elongation, thickening, and retraction of supernumerary stereocilia. Many molecules involved in stereocilia elongation have been identified, including myosin-XVa. Significantly less is known about molecular mechanisms of stereocilia thickening and retraction. Here, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to quantify postnatal changes in number and diameters of the auditory hair cell stereocilia in shaker-2 mice (Myo15sh2) that lack both "long" and "short" isoforms of myosin-XVa, and in mice lacking only the "long" myosin-XVa isoform (Myo15∆N). Previously, we observed large mechanotransduction current in young postnatal inner (IHC) and outer (OHC) hair cells of both these strains. Stereocilia counts showed nearly identical developmental retraction of supernumerary stereocilia in control heterozygous, Myo15sh2/sh2, and Myo15∆N/∆N mice, suggesting that this retraction is largely unaffected by myosin-XVa deficiency. However, myosin-XVa deficiency does affect stereocilia diameters. In control, the first (tallest) and second row stereocilia grow in diameter simultaneously. However, the third row stereocilia in IHCs grow only until postnatal day 1-2 and then become thinner. In OHCs, they also grow slower than taller stereocilia, forming a stereocilia diameter gradation within a hair bundle. The sh2 mutation disrupts this gradation and makes all stereocilia nearly identical in thickness in both IHCs and OHCs, with only subtle residual diameter differences. All Myo15sh2/sh2 stereocilia grow postnatally including the third row, which is not a part of normal development. Serial sections with focused ion beam (FIB)-SEM confirmed that diameter changes of Myo15sh2/sh2 IHC and OHC stereocilia resulted from corresponding changes of their actin cores. In contrast to Myo15sh2/sh2, Myo15∆N/∆N hair cells develop prominent stereocilia diameter gradation. Thus, besides building the staircase, the short isoform of myosin-XVa is essential for controlling the diameter of the third row stereocilia and formation of the stereocilia diameter gradation in a hair bundle.
Collapse
|
26
|
Al-Kindi MN, Al-Khabouri MJ, Al-Lamki KA, Palombo F, Pippucci T, Romeo G, Al-Wardy NM. In silico analysis of a novel causative mutation in Cadherin23 gene identified in an Omani family with hearing loss. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2020; 18:8. [PMID: 32115674 PMCID: PMC7049540 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-020-0021-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Hereditary hearing loss is a heterogeneous group of complex disorders with an overall incidence of one in every 500 newborns presented as syndromic and non-syndromic forms. Cadherin-related 23 (CDH23) is one of the listed deafness causative genes. It is found to be expressed in the stereocilia of hair cells and in the retina photoreceptor cells. Defective CDH23 have been associated mostly with prelingual severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in either syndromic (USH1D) or non-syndromic SNHL (DFNB12) deafness. The purpose of this study was to identify causative mutations in an Omani family diagnosed with severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss by whole exome sequencing technique and analyzing the detected variant in silico for pathogenicity using several in silico mutation prediction software. Results A novel homozygous missense variant, c.A7436C (p. D2479A), in exon 53 of CDH23 was detected in the family while the control samples were all negative for the detected variant. In silico mutation prediction analysis showed the novel substituted D2479A to be deleterious and protein destabilizing mutation at a conserved site on CDH23 protein. Conclusion In silico mutation prediction analysis might be used as a useful molecular diagnostic tool benefiting both genetic counseling and mutation verification. The aspartic acid 2479 alanine missense substitution might be the main disease-causing mutation that damages CDH23 function and could be used as a genetic hearing loss marker for this particular Omani family.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Nasser Al-Kindi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Al-Khoud, 123, Muscat, Oman
| | - Mazin Jawad Al-Khabouri
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Al Nahda Hospital, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman
| | - Khalsa Ahmad Al-Lamki
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Al-Khoud, 123, Muscat, Oman
| | - Flavia Palombo
- Medical Genetics Unit, Polyclinic Sant'Orsola-Malpighi, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Tommaso Pippucci
- Medical Genetics Unit, Polyclinic Sant'Orsola-Malpighi, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Romeo
- Medical Genetics Unit, Polyclinic Sant'Orsola-Malpighi, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nadia Mohammed Al-Wardy
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 35, Al-Khoud, 123, Muscat, Oman.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Reyes-Pardo H, Sánchez-Herrera DP. Mechanosensitive ion channel inhibitors promote the stiffening of the plasma membrane of mouse sensory neurons. Soft Matter 2019; 15:8320-8328. [PMID: 31565715 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01230c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The mechanosensitivity of cells depends on the lipid-protein interactions of the plasma membrane. Affectations in the lipid region of the plasma membrane affect the transduction of mechanical forces, and any molecule that modifies the biophysical integrity of the lipid bilayer can alter the mechanical activity of the proteins inside the membrane. To understand whether inhibitors of mechanically activated ion channels affect the mechanical properties of the plasma membrane, we evaluated the rigidity of the membrane of sensory neurons of the DRG of mice using a variant of the scanning ion conductance microscopy method, which allows us to calculate the Young's modulus of individual cells before and after the perfusion of different doses of Gd3+, ruthenium red and GsMTx-4. Our results suggest that these molecules compromise the membrane by increasing the Young's modulus value, which indicates that the membrane becomes more rigid; these compounds act through different mechanisms and by a non-specific manner, each one shows a certain preference for specific cell subpopulations, depending on their cell size and their reactivity to isolectin B4. Our results support the idea that the biophysical properties that result from the interactions that arise in the membranes are part of the mechanotransduction process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Humberto Reyes-Pardo
- Unidad Monterrey, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Apodaca, Nuevo León, Mexico.
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Suzuki J, Inada H, Han C, Kim MJ, Kimura R, Takata Y, Honkura Y, Owada Y, Kawase T, Katori Y, Someya S, Osumi N. "Passenger gene" problem in transgenic C57BL/6 mice used in hearing research. Neurosci Res 2019; 158:6-15. [PMID: 31622631 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Despite recent advances in genome engineering technologies, traditional transgenic mice generated on a mixed genetic background of C57BL/6 and 129/Sv mice remain widely used in age-related hearing loss (AHL) research, since C57BL/6 mice exhibit early onset and progression of AHL due to a mutation in cadherin 23-encoding gene (Cdh23753G>A). In these transgenic mice, backcrossing for more than 10 generations results in replacement of the donor background (129/Sv) with that of the recipient (C57BL/6), so that approximately 99.9% of genes are C57BL/6-derived and are considered congenic. However, the regions flanking the target gene may still be of 129/Sv origin, creating a so-called "passenger gene problem" where the normal 129/Sv-derived Cdh23753G allele can travel with the target gene. In this study, we investigated the role of fatty acid-binding protein 7 (Fabp7), which is important for cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking of fatty acids in the cochlea, using traditional Fabp7 knockout (KO) mice on the C57BL/6 background. We found that Fabp7 KO mice showed delayed AHL progression and milder cochlear degeneration. However, the genotype of the Cdh23 region flanking Fabp7 was still that of 129/Sv origin (Cdh23753GG). Our findings reveal the potential risk of contamination for traditional transgenic mice generated on the C57BL/6 background.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Suzuki
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan; Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Centers for Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan.
| | - Hitoshi Inada
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Centers for Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Chul Han
- Departments of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FA 32610-0143, USA; Barrow Aneurysm & AVM Research Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Mi-Jung Kim
- Departments of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FA 32610-0143, USA
| | - Ryuichi Kimura
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Centers for Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yusuke Takata
- Department of Otolaryngology, Tokyo Women's Medical University Medical Center East, Arakawa, Tokyo 116-8567, Japan
| | - Yohei Honkura
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan
| | - Yuji Owada
- Department of Organ Anatomy, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Tetsuaki Kawase
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan; Laboratory of Rehabilitative Auditory Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan
| | - Yukio Katori
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan
| | - Shinichi Someya
- Departments of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FA 32610-0143, USA
| | - Noriko Osumi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Centers for Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Heil P, Peterson AJ. Nelson's notch in the rate-level functions of auditory-nerve fibers might be caused by PIEZO2-mediated reverse-polarity currents in hair cells. Hear Res 2019; 381:107783. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.107783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
30
|
Wu X, Ivanchenko MV, Al Jandal H, Cicconet M, Indzhykulian AA, Corey DP. PKHD1L1 is a coat protein of hair-cell stereocilia and is required for normal hearing. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3801. [PMID: 31444330 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11712-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The bundle of stereocilia on inner ear hair cells responds to subnanometer deflections produced by sound or head movement. Stereocilia are interconnected by a variety of links and also carry an electron-dense surface coat. The coat may contribute to stereocilia adhesion or protect from stereocilia fusion, but its molecular identity remains unknown. From a database of hair-cell-enriched translated proteins, we identify Polycystic Kidney and Hepatic Disease 1-Like 1 (PKHD1L1), a large, mostly extracellular protein of 4249 amino acids with a single transmembrane domain. Using serial immunogold scanning electron microscopy, we show that PKHD1L1 is expressed at the tips of stereocilia, especially in the high-frequency regions of the cochlea. PKHD1L1-deficient mice lack the surface coat at the upper but not lower regions of stereocilia, and they develop progressive hearing loss. We conclude that PKHD1L1 is a component of the surface coat and is required for normal hearing in mice. There is little known about the function or molecular identity of the electron-dense stereocilia coat, which is transiently present at the surface of stereocilia. In this study authors screened a database of hair-cell-enriched translated proteins to identify the expression of Polycystic Kidney and Hepatic Disease 1-Like 1 (PKHD1L1), a large, mostly extracellular protein, and show that it forms the coat at the tips of stereocilia and is required for normal hearing in mice
Collapse
|
31
|
Lee JH, Park S, Perez-Flores MC, Wang W, Kim HJ, Izu L, Gratton MA, Chiamvimonvat N, Yamoah EN. Early functional alterations in membrane properties and neuronal degeneration are hallmarks of progressive hearing loss in NOD mice. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12128. [PMID: 31431657 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48376-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Presbycusis or age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common sensory deficit in the human population. A substantial component of the etiology stems from pathological changes in sensory and non-sensory cells in the cochlea. Using a non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model, we have characterized changes in both hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons that may be relevant for early signs of age-related hearing loss (ARHL). We demonstrate that hair cell loss is preceded by, or in parallel with altered primary auditory neuron functions, and latent neurite retraction at the hair cell-auditory neuron synapse. The results were observed first in afferent inner hair cell synapse of type I neurites, followed by type II neuronal cell-body degeneration. Reduced membrane excitability and loss of postsynaptic densities were some of the inaugural events before any outward manifestation of hair bundle disarray and hair cell loss. We have identified profound alterations in type I neuronal membrane properties, including a reduction in membrane input resistance, prolonged action potential latency, and a decrease in membrane excitability. The resting membrane potential of aging type I neurons in the NOD, ARHL model, was significantly hyperpolarized, and analyses of the underlying membrane conductance showed a significant increase in K+ currents. We propose that attempts to alleviate some forms of ARHL should include early targeted primary latent neural degeneration for effective positive outcomes.
Collapse
|
32
|
Jiang M, Li H, Johnson A, Karasawa T, Zhang Y, Meier WB, Taghizadeh F, Kachelmeier A, Steyger PS. Inflammation up-regulates cochlear expression of TRPV1 to potentiate drug-induced hearing loss. Sci Adv 2019; 5:eaaw1836. [PMID: 31328162 PMCID: PMC6636990 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw1836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Aminoglycoside antibiotics are essential for treating life-threatening bacterial infections, despite the risk of lifelong hearing loss. Infections induce inflammation and up-regulate expression of candidate aminoglycoside-permeant cation channels, including transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1). Heterologous expression of TRPV1 facilitated cellular uptake of (fluorescently tagged) gentamicin that was enhanced by agonists, and diminished by antagonists, of TRPV1. Cochlear TRPV1 was immunolocalized near the apical membranes of sensory hair cells, adjacent supporting cells, and marginal cells in the stria vascularis. Exposure to immunostimulatory lipopolysaccharides, to simulate of bacterial infections, increased cochlear expression of TRPV1 and hair cell uptake of gentamicin. Lipopolysaccharide exposure exacerbated aminoglycoside-induced auditory threshold shifts and loss of cochlear hair cells in wild-type, but not in heterozygous Trpv1+/- or Trpv1 knockout, mice. Thus, TRPV1 facilitates cochlear uptake of aminoglycosides, and bacteriogenic stimulation upregulates TRPV1 expression to exacerbate cochleotoxicity. Furthermore, loss-of-function polymorphisms in Trpv1 can protect against immunogenic exacerbation of aminoglycoside-induced cochleotoxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meiyan Jiang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Hongzhe Li
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Anastasiya Johnson
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Takatoshi Karasawa
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - William B. Meier
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Farshid Taghizadeh
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Allan Kachelmeier
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Peter S. Steyger
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
- National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Lin SCY, Thorne PR, Housley GD, Vlajkovic SM. Purinergic Signaling and Aminoglycoside Ototoxicity: The Opposing Roles of P1 (Adenosine) and P2 (ATP) Receptors on Cochlear Hair Cell Survival. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:207. [PMID: 31156393 PMCID: PMC6529511 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Purinergic signaling regulates important physiological processes and the homeostatic response to stress in the cochlea via extracellular nucleosides (adenosine) and nucleotides (ATP, UTP). Using a previously established organotypic culture model, the current study investigated the effect of purinergic P1 (adenosine) and P2 (ATP) receptor activation on the survival of the sensory hair cell population in the cochlea exposed to the ototoxic aminoglycoside neomycin. Organ of Corti explants were obtained from C57BL/6 mice at postnatal day 3 (P3) and maintained in normal culture medium (with or without purine receptor agonists or analogs) for 19.5 h prior to neomycin exposure (1 mM, 3 h) followed by a further incubation for 19.5 h in culture medium. The cochlear explants were then fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) and sensory hair cells labeled with Alexa 488-phalloidin. Neomycin induced a substantial loss of the sensory hair cells, mostly in the middle segment of the cochlea. This neomycin-induced ototoxicity was unaffected by the addition of P2 receptor agonists (ATP and UTP) in the culture medium, whilst the addition of their slowly-hydrolyzable analogs (ATPγS, UTPγS) aggravated neomycin-induced sensory hair cell loss. In contrast, the activation of P1 receptors by adenosine or adenosine amine congener (ADAC) conferred partial protection from neomycin ototoxicity. This study demonstrates a pro-survival effect of P1 receptor stimulation, whilst prolonged activation of P2 receptors has an opposite effect. Based on these findings, we postulate that P1 and P2 receptors orchestrate differential responses to cochlear injury and that the balance of these receptors is important for maintaining cochlear homeostasis following ototoxic injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shelly C Y Lin
- Department of Physiology and The Eisdell Moore Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter R Thorne
- Department of Physiology and The Eisdell Moore Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Gary D Housley
- Department of Physiology and Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Srdjan M Vlajkovic
- Department of Physiology and The Eisdell Moore Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
Cochlear hair cells employ mechanically gated ion channels located in stereocilia that open in response to sound wave-induced motion of the basilar membrane, converting mechanical stimulation to graded changes in hair cell membrane potential. Membrane potential changes in hair cells cause neurotransmitter release from hair cells that initiate electrical signals in the nerve terminals of afferent fibers from spiral ganglion neurons. These signals are then propagated within the central nervous system (CNS) to mediate the sensation of hearing. Recent studies show that the mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) machinery of hair cells is formed by an ensemble of proteins. Candidate components forming the MET channel have been identified, but none alone fulfills all criteria necessary to define them as pore-forming subunits of the MET channel. We will review here recent findings on the identification and function of proteins that are components of the MET machinery in hair cells and consider remaining open questions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L Cunningham
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Ulrich Müller
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Mahendrasingam S, Furness DN. Ultrastructural localization of the likely mechanoelectrical transduction channel protein, transmembrane-like channel 1 (TMC1) during development of cochlear hair cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1274. [PMID: 30718571 PMCID: PMC6362151 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37563-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmembrane channel like protein 1 (TMC1) is likely to be a pore-forming subunit of the transduction channel of cochlear hair cells that is mechanically gated by tension on tip links in the stereocilia bundle. To localise TMC1 precisely, we labelled mice cochleae of different ages using custom-made polyclonal antibodies to TMC1 for light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Immunofluorescence revealed stereocilia labelling at P9 but not at P3 in apical hair cells. Immunogold labelling for TEM confirmed that labelling was absent at P3, and showed weak labelling at P6 with no stereocilia tip labelling, increasing at P9, with specific tip labelling on shorter stereocilia and some throughout the bundle. At P12 and P21, labelling was refined mostly to stereocilia tips. Quantification showed that labelling overall reached maximum by P12, labelling per tip was relatively constant from P9 to P21, but percent tips labelled was reduced from 16% to 8%. Tmc1−/− showed no labelling. Thus TMC1 occurs at the lower end of the tip link, supporting its presence in the MET complex and likely the channel. Tip localisation from P9 onwards coincides with lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 5 (LHFPL5), a protein that may be involved in acquiring/maintaining TMC1 localisation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - David N Furness
- School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
De-la-Torre P, Choudhary D, Araya-Secchi R, Narui Y, Sotomayor M. A Mechanically Weak Extracellular Membrane-Adjacent Domain Induces Dimerization of Protocadherin-15. Biophys J 2018; 115:2368-2385. [PMID: 30527337 PMCID: PMC6302040 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The cadherin superfamily of proteins is defined by the presence of extracellular cadherin (EC) "repeats" that engage in protein-protein interactions to mediate cell-cell adhesion, cell signaling, and mechanotransduction. The extracellular domains of nonclassical cadherins often have a large number of EC repeats along with other subdomains of various folds. Protocadherin-15 (PCDH15), a protein component of the inner-ear tip link filament essential for mechanotransduction, has 11 EC repeats and a membrane adjacent domain (MAD12) of atypical fold. Here we report the crystal structure of a pig PCDH15 fragment including EC10, EC11, and MAD12 in a parallel dimeric arrangement. MAD12 has a unique molecular architecture and folds as a ferredoxin-like domain similar to that found in the nucleoporin protein Nup54. Analytical ultracentrifugation experiments along with size-exclusion chromatography coupled to multiangle laser light scattering and small-angle x-ray scattering corroborate the crystallographic dimer and show that MAD12 induces parallel dimerization of PCDH15 near its membrane insertion point. In addition, steered molecular dynamics simulations suggest that MAD12 is mechanically weak and may unfold before tip-link rupture. Sequence analyses and structural modeling predict the existence of similar domains in cadherin-23, protocadherin-24, and the "giant" FAT and CELSR cadherins, indicating that some of them may also exhibit MAD-induced parallel dimerization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro De-la-Torre
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Deepanshu Choudhary
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Raul Araya-Secchi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Structural Biophysics, Section for Neutron and X-ray Science, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yoshie Narui
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Marcos Sotomayor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Corns LF, Johnson SL, Roberts T, Ranatunga KM, Hendry A, Ceriani F, Safieddine S, Steel KP, Forge A, Petit C, Furness DN, Kros CJ, Marcotti W. Mechanotransduction is required for establishing and maintaining mature inner hair cells and regulating efferent innervation. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4015. [PMID: 30275467 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06307-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the adult auditory organ, mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channels are essential for transducing acoustic stimuli into electrical signals. In the absence of incoming sound, a fraction of the MET channels on top of the sensory hair cells are open, resulting in a sustained depolarizing current. By genetically manipulating the in vivo expression of molecular components of the MET apparatus, we show that during pre-hearing stages the MET current is essential for establishing the electrophysiological properties of mature inner hair cells (IHCs). If the MET current is abolished in adult IHCs, they revert into cells showing electrical and morphological features characteristic of pre-hearing IHCs, including the re-establishment of cholinergic efferent innervation. The MET current is thus critical for the maintenance of the functional properties of adult IHCs, implying a degree of plasticity in the mature auditory system in response to the absence of normal transduction of acoustic signals. Mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channels on the tips of inner hair cells are essential for transducing auditory sensory information. Here, the authors show that disrupting MET channel function also prevents the preservation of normal inner hair cell identity in adult mice.
Collapse
|
38
|
Abstract
Cadherins form a large family of proteins often involved in calcium-dependent cellular adhesion. Although classical members of the family can provide a physical bond between cells, a subset of special cadherins use their extracellular domains to interlink apical specializations of single epithelial sensory cells. Two of these cadherins, cadherin-23 (CDH23) and protocadherin-15 (PCDH15), form extracellular "tip link" filaments that connect apical bundles of stereocilia on hair cells essential for inner-ear mechanotransduction. As these bundles deflect in response to mechanical stimuli from sound or head movements, tip links gate hair-cell mechanosensitive channels to initiate sensory perception. Here, we review the unusual and diverse structural properties of these tip-link cadherins and the functional significance of their deafness-related missense mutations. Based on the structural features of CDH23 and PCDH15, we discuss the elasticity of tip links and models that bridge the gap between the nanomechanics of cadherins and the micromechanics of hair-cell bundles during inner-ear mechanotransduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Avinash Jaiganesh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Yoshie Narui
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Raul Araya-Secchi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Marcos Sotomayor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Sun S, Babola T, Pregernig G, So KS, Nguyen M, Su SSM, Palermo AT, Bergles DE, Burns JC, Müller U. Hair Cell Mechanotransduction Regulates Spontaneous Activity and Spiral Ganglion Subtype Specification in the Auditory System. Cell 2018; 174:1247-1263.e15. [PMID: 30078710 PMCID: PMC6429032 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) transmit sound information from cochlear hair cells to the CNS. Using transcriptome analysis of thousands of single neurons, we demonstrate that murine type I SGNs consist of subclasses that are defined by the expression of subsets of transcription factors, cell adhesion molecules, ion channels, and neurotransmitter receptors. Subtype specification is initiated prior to the onset of hearing during the time period when auditory circuits mature. Gene mutations linked to deafness that disrupt hair cell mechanotransduction or glutamatergic signaling perturb the firing behavior of SGNs prior to hearing onset and disrupt SGN subtype specification. We thus conclude that an intact hair cell mechanotransduction machinery is critical during the pre-hearing period to regulate the firing behavior of SGNs and their segregation into subtypes. Because deafness is frequently caused by defects in hair cells, our findings have significant ramifications for the etiology of hearing loss and its treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuohao Sun
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience and Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Travis Babola
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience and Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Gabriela Pregernig
- Decibel Therapeutics, 1325 Boylston Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kathy S So
- Decibel Therapeutics, 1325 Boylston Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Matthew Nguyen
- Decibel Therapeutics, 1325 Boylston Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Shin-San M Su
- Decibel Therapeutics, 1325 Boylston Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Adam T Palermo
- Decibel Therapeutics, 1325 Boylston Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dwight E Bergles
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience and Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Joseph C Burns
- Decibel Therapeutics, 1325 Boylston Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Ulrich Müller
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience and Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Abstract
Sensory hair cells are specialized secondary sensory cells that mediate our senses of hearing, balance, linear acceleration, and angular acceleration (head rotation). In addition, hair cells in fish and amphibians mediate sensitivity to water movement through the lateral line system, and closely related electroreceptive cells mediate sensitivity to low-voltage electric fields in the aquatic environment of many fish species and several species of amphibian. Sensory hair cells share many structural and functional features across all vertebrate groups, while at the same time they are specialized for employment in a wide variety of sensory tasks. The complexity of hair cell structure is large, and the diversity of hair cell applications in sensory systems exceeds that seen for most, if not all, sensory cell types. The intent of this review is to summarize the more significant structural features and some of the more interesting and important physiological mechanisms that have been elucidated thus far. Outside vertebrates, hair cells are only known to exist in the coronal organ of tunicates. Electrical resonance, electromotility, and their exquisite mechanical sensitivity all contribute to the attractiveness of hair cells as a research subject.
Collapse
|
41
|
Lin SCY, Thorne PR, Housley GD, Vlajkovic SM. Resistance to neomycin ototoxicity in the extreme basal (hook) region of the mouse cochlea. Histochem Cell Biol 2018; 150:281-9. [PMID: 29862415 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-018-1683-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Aminoglycoside ototoxicity results in permanent loss of the sensory hair cells in the mammalian cochlea. It usually begins at the basal turn causing high-frequency hearing loss. Here we describe previously unreported resistance of hair cells to neomycin ototoxicity in the extreme basal (hook) region of the developing cochlea of the C57BL/6 mouse. Organ of Corti explants from mice at postnatal day 3 were incubated (37 °C, 5% CO2) in normal culture medium for 19.5 h prior to and after exposure to neomycin (1 mM, 3 h). To study neomycin uptake in the hair cells, cochlear explants were incubated with Neomycin Texas-red (NTR) conjugate. As expected, exposure to neomycin significantly reduced the survival of inner (IHC) and outer hair cells (OHC). IHC survival rate was high in the apical segment and low in the basal segment. OHC were well preserved in the apical and hook regions, with substantial OHC loss in the basal segment. The NTR uptake study demonstrated that the high survival rate in the extreme basal turn OHC was associated with low NTR uptake. Treatment with a calcium chelator (BAPTA), which disrupts the opening of mechanoelectrical (MET) transduction channels, abolished or reduced NTR uptake in the hair cells throughout the cochlea. This confirmed the essential role of MET channels in neomycin uptake and implied that the transduction channels could be impaired in the hook region of the developing mouse cochlea, possibly as a result of the cadherin 23 mutation responsible for the progressive deafness in C57BL/6 mice.
Collapse
|
42
|
Abstract
Johnston's organ - the hearing organ of Drosophila - has a very different structure and morphology to that of the hearing organs of vertebrates. Nevertheless, it is becoming clear that vertebrate and invertebrate auditory organs share many physiological, molecular and genetic similarities. Here, we compare the molecular and cellular features of hearing organs in Drosophila with those of vertebrates, and discuss recent evidence concerning the functional conservation of Usher proteins between flies and mammals. Mutations in Usher genes cause Usher syndrome, the leading cause of human deafness and blindness. In Drosophila, some Usher syndrome proteins appear to physically interact in protein complexes that are similar to those described in mammals. This functional conservation highlights a rational role for Drosophila as a model for studying hearing, and for investigating the evolution of auditory organs, with the aim of advancing our understanding of the genes that regulate human hearing and the pathogenic mechanisms that lead to deafness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tongchao Li
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Andrew K Groves
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA .,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Abstract
Hair cells in the inner ear convert mechanical stimuli provided by sound waves and head movements into electrical signal. Several mechanically evoked ionic currents with different properties have been recorded in hair cells. The search for the proteins that form the underlying ion channels is still in progress. The mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) channel near the tips of stereociliary in hair cells, which is responsible for sensory transduction, has been studied most extensively. Several components of the sensory mechanotransduction machinery in stereocilia have been identified, including the multi-transmembrane proteins tetraspan membrane protein in hair cell stereocilia (TMHS)/LHFPL5, transmembrane inner ear (TMIE) and transmembrane channel-like proteins 1 and 2 (TMC1/2). However, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the molecules that form the channel pore. In addition to the sensory MET channel, hair cells express the mechanically gated ion channel PIEZO2, which is localized near the base of stereocilia and not essential for sensory transduction. The function of PIEZO2 in hair cells is not entirely clear but it might have a role in damage sensing and repair processes. Additional stretch-activated channels of unknown molecular identity and function have been found to localize at the basolateral membrane of hair cells. Here, we review current knowledge regarding the different mechanically gated ion channels in hair cells and discuss open questions concerning their molecular composition and function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xufeng Qiu
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ulrich Müller
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Morgan CP, Zhao H, LeMasurier M, Xiong W, Pan B, Kazmierczak P, Avenarius MR, Bateschell M, Larisch R, Ricci AJ, Müller U, Barr-Gillespie PG. TRPV6, TRPM6 and TRPM7 Do Not Contribute to Hair-Cell Mechanotransduction. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:41. [PMID: 29515374 PMCID: PMC5826258 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair cells of the inner ear transduce mechanical stimuli like sound or head movements into electrical signals, which are propagated to the central nervous system. The hair-cell mechanotransduction channel remains unidentified. We tested whether three transient receptor channel (TRP) family members, TRPV6, TRPM6 and TRPM7, were necessary for transduction. TRPV6 interacted with USH1C (harmonin), a scaffolding protein that participates in transduction. Using a cysteine-substitution knock-in mouse line and methanethiosulfonate (MTS) reagents selective for this allele, we found that inhibition of TRPV6 had no effect on transduction in mouse cochlear hair cells. TRPM6 and TRPM7 each interacted with the tip-link component PCDH15 in cultured eukaryotic cells, which suggested they might be part of the transduction complex. Cochlear hair cell transduction was not affected by manipulations of Mg2+, however, which normally perturbs TRPM6 and TRPM7. To definitively examine the role of these two channels in transduction, we showed that deletion of either or both of their genes selectively in hair cells had no effect on auditory function. We suggest that TRPV6, TRPM6 and TRPM7 are unlikely to be the pore-forming subunit of the hair-cell transduction channel.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clive P. Morgan
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Hongyu Zhao
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Meredith LeMasurier
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Wei Xiong
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Bifeng Pan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Piotr Kazmierczak
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Matthew R. Avenarius
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Michael Bateschell
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Ruby Larisch
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Anthony J. Ricci
- Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Ulrich Müller
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Peter G. Barr-Gillespie
- Oregon Hearing Research Center & Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Choudhary D, Kumar A, Magliery TJ, Sotomayor M. Using thermal scanning assays to test protein-protein interactions of inner-ear cadherins. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189546. [PMID: 29261728 PMCID: PMC5736220 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions play a crucial role in biological processes such as cell-cell adhesion, immune system-pathogen interactions, and sensory perception. Understanding the structural determinants of protein-protein complex formation and obtaining quantitative estimates of their dissociation constant (KD) are essential for the study of these interactions and for the discovery of new therapeutics. At the same time, it is equally important to characterize protein-protein interactions in a high-throughput fashion. Here, we use a modified thermal scanning assay to test interactions of wild type (WT) and mutant variants of N-terminal fragments (EC1+2) of cadherin-23 and protocadherin-15, two proteins essential for inner-ear mechanotransduction. An environmentally sensitive fluorescent dye (SYPRO orange) is used to monitor melting temperature (Tm) shifts of protocadherin-15 EC1+2 (pcdh15) in the presence of increasing concentrations of cadherin-23 EC1+2 (cdh23). These Tm shifts are absent when we use proteins containing deafness-related missense mutations known to disrupt cdh23 binding to pcdh15, and are increased for some rationally designed mutants expected to enhance binding. In addition, surface plasmon resonance binding experiments were used to test if the Tm shifts correlated with changes in binding affinity. We used this approach to find a double mutation (cdh23(T15E)- pcdh15(G16D)) that enhances binding affinity of the cadherin complex by 1.98 kJ/mol, roughly two-fold that of the WT complex. We suggest that the thermal scanning methodology can be used in high-throughput format to quickly compare binding affinities (KD from nM up to 100 μM) for some heterodimeric protein complexes and to screen small molecule libraries to find protein-protein interaction inhibitors and enhancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deepanshu Choudhary
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Anusha Kumar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Thomas J. Magliery
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Marcos Sotomayor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
Throughout postnatal maturation of the mouse inner ear, cochlear hair cells display at least two types of mechanically gated ion channel: normal mechanotransducer (MT) channels at the tips of the stereocilia, activated by tension in interciliary tip links, and anomalous mechanosensitive (MS) channels on the top surface of the cells. The anomalous MS channels are responsible for the reverse‐polarity current that appears in mutants in which normal transduction is lost. They are also seen in wild‐type hair cells around birth, appearing 2 days earlier than normal MT channels, and being down‐regulated with the emergence of the normal channels. We review the evidence that the normal and anomalous channels are distinct channel types, which includes differences in localization, susceptibility to pharmacological agents, single‐channel conductance and Ca2+ permeability. The dichotomy is reinforced by the observation that the anomalous current is absent in cochlear cells of Piezo2‐null mice, even though the normal MT current persists. The anomalous current is suppressed by high intracellular Ca2+, suggesting that influx of the divalent ion via more Ca2+‐permeable normal MT channels inhibits the anomalous channels, thus explaining the temporal relationship between the two. Piezo2‐null mice have largely normal hearing, exhibiting up to 20 dB elevation in threshold in the acoustic brainstem response, so raising questions about the significance of PIEZO2 in the cochlea. Since the anomalous current declines with postnatal age, PIEZO2 may contribute to hair cell development, but it does not underlie the normal MT current. Its role in the development of hearing is not understood.
![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maryline Beurg
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Robert Fettiplace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Mahendrasingam S, Fettiplace R, Alagramam KN, Cross E, Furness DN. Spatiotemporal changes in the distribution of LHFPL5 in mice cochlear hair bundles during development and in the absence of PCDH15. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185285. [PMID: 29069081 PMCID: PMC5656302 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanosensory transduction by vertebrate hair cells depends on a protein complex at the tips of shorter stereocilia associated with mechanoelectrical transduction channels activated by tip links in the hair bundle. In mammalian hair cells, this complex includes transmembrane channel-like protein subunit 1 (TMC1), lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 5 protein (LHFPL5) and protocadherin 15 (PCDH15), a lower-end component of the tip link. TMC1 interacts with LHFPL5 and PCDH15 but how the complex develops to maturity, and the relationships between these proteins, remains uncertain. Here we evaluate the spatiotemporal development of LHFPL5 distributions in mouse cochlear hair bundles by immunofluorescence and immunogold transmission electron microscopy, from postnatal day 0 (P0) through P21 in wild type and PCDH15-deficient mice. At P0, hair bundles contain many short microvilli-like processes which we term unranked stereocilia, and a subset of lengthening rows, adjacent to a kinocilium. LHFPL5 is distributed throughout the bundle, including on stereocilia tips and the kinocilium. At P3, 4-to-6 rows of ranked stereocilia are evident, total LHFPL5 expression peaks, and LHFPL5 is localised to ranked stereocilia tips of all rows and to lower shaft/ankle links. By P12, the bundle has a mature pattern with 3 ranked rows but virtually no unranked stereocilia or kinocilium; LHFPL5 expression has declined and become restricted to the tips of shorter stereocilia. Throughout development from P0, expression of LHFPL5 is greater overall on apical than basal bundles, but there is, on average, an equal amount of labelling per labelled tip. In P3 mice lacking PCDH15, LHFPL5 labelling is not at the tips but is primarily on unranked stereocilia and lower lateral links. These data show that LHFPL5 is already present in the MET apparatus at P0 but requires PCDH15 at P3 to remain there. Shaft/ankle link localisation suggests it interacts with link proteins other than PCDH15.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Fettiplace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, WI, United States of America
| | - Kumar N. Alagramam
- Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, OH, United States of America
| | - Ellen Cross
- School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
| | - David N. Furness
- School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Sinclair JL, Barnes-Davies M, Kopp-Scheinpflug C, Forsythe ID. Strain-specific differences in the development of neuronal excitability in the mouse ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body. Hear Res 2017; 354:28-37. [PMID: 28843833 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This investigation compared the development of neuronal excitability in the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body (VNTB) between two strains of mice with differing progression rates for age-related hearing loss. In contrast to CBA/Ca (CBA) mice, the C57BL/6J (C57) strain are subject to hearing loss from a younger age and are more prone to damage from sound over-exposure. Higher firing rates in the medial olivocochlear system (MOC) are associated with protection from loud sounds and these cells are located in the VNTB. We postulated that reduced neuronal firing of the MOC in C57 mice could contribute to hearing loss in this strain by reducing efferent protection. Whole cell patch clamp was used to compare the electrical properties of VNTB neurons from the two strains initially in two age groups: before and after hearing onset at ∼ P9 and ∼P16, respectively. Prior to hearing onset VNTB neurons electrophysiological properties were identical in both strains, but started to diverge after hearing onset. One week after hearing onset VNTB neurons of C57 mice had larger amplitude action potentials but in contrast to CBA mice, their waveform failed to accelerate with increasing age, consistent with the faster inactivation of voltage-gated potassium currents in C57 VNTB neurons. The lower frequency action potential firing of C57 VNTB neurons at P16 was maintained to P28, indicating that this change was not a developmental delay. We conclude that C57 VNTB neurons fire at lower frequencies than in the CBA strain, supporting the hypothesis that reduced MOC firing could contribute to the greater hearing loss of the C57 strain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James L Sinclair
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK; Department of Neuroscience, Psychology & Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Margaret Barnes-Davies
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology & Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK
| | | | - Ian D Forsythe
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK; Department of Neuroscience, Psychology & Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 9HN, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Abstract
Transmembrane channel-like protein isoform-1 (TMC1) has emerged over the past five years as a prime contender for the mechano-electrical transducer (MET) channel in hair cells of the inner ear. TMC1 is thought to have a six-transmembrane domain structure reminiscent of some other ion-channel subunits, and is targeted to the tips of the stereocilia in the sensory hair bundle, where the MET channel is located. Moreover, there are TMC1 mutations linked to human deafness causing loss of conventional MET currents, hair cell degeneration, and deafness in mice. Finally, mutations of Tmc1 can alter the conductance and Ca(2+) selectivity of the MET channels. For several reasons though, it is unclear that TMC1 is indeed the MET channel pore: 1) in other animals or tissues, mutations of TMC family members do not directly affect cellular mechanosensitivity; 2) there are residual manifestations of mechanosensitivity in hair cells of mouse Tmc1:Tmc2 double knockouts; 3) there is so far no evidence that expression of mammalian Tmc1 generates a mechanically sensitive ion channel in the plasma membrane when expressed in heterologous cells; and 4) there are other proteins, such as TMIE and LHFPL5, which behave similarly to TMC1, their mutation also leading to loss of MET current and deafness. This review will present these disparate lines of evidence and describes recent work that addresses the role of TMC1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fettiplace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Cunningham CL, Wu Z, Jafari A, Zhao B, Schrode K, Harkins-Perry S, Lauer A, Müller U. The murine catecholamine methyltransferase mTOMT is essential for mechanotransduction by cochlear hair cells. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28504928 PMCID: PMC5462538 DOI: 10.7554/elife.24318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Hair cells of the cochlea are mechanosensors for the perception of sound. Mutations in the LRTOMT gene, which encodes a protein with homology to the catecholamine methyltransferase COMT that is linked to schizophrenia, cause deafness. Here, we show that Tomt/Comt2, the murine ortholog of LRTOMT, has an unexpected function in the regulation of mechanotransduction by hair cells. The role of mTOMT in hair cells is independent of mTOMT methyltransferase function and mCOMT cannot substitute for mTOMT function. Instead, mTOMT binds to putative components of the mechanotransduction channel in hair cells and is essential for the transport of some of these components into the mechanically sensitive stereocilia of hair cells. Our studies thus suggest functional diversification between mCOMT and mTOMT, where mTOMT is critical for the assembly of the mechanotransduction machinery of hair cells. Defects in this process are likely mechanistically linked to deafness caused by mutations in LRTOMT/Tomt. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24318.001
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L Cunningham
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Zizhen Wu
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Aria Jafari
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Bo Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Kat Schrode
- Department of Otolaryngology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Sarah Harkins-Perry
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, United States
| | - Amanda Lauer
- Department of Otolaryngology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| | - Ulrich Müller
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
| |
Collapse
|