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Background Exposure of mammals to ototoxic compounds causes hair cell (HC) loss in the vestibular sensory epithelia of the inner ear. In chronic exposure models, this loss often occurs by extrusion of the HC from the sensory epithelium towards the luminal cavity. HC extrusion is preceded by several steps that begin with detachment and synaptic uncoupling of the cells from the afferent terminals of their postsynaptic vestibular ganglion neurons. The purpose of this study was to identify gene expression mechanisms that drive these responses to chronic ototoxic stress. Methods We conducted four RNA-seq experiments that generated five comparisons of control versus treated animals. These involved two species (rat and mouse), two compounds (streptomycin and 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile, IDPN), and three time points in our rat/IDPN model. We compared differentially expressed genes and their associated Gene Ontology terms, and several genes of interest were validated by in-situ hybridisation and immunofluorescence analyses. Results Common and model-unique expression responses were identified. The earliest and most robust common response was downregulation of HC-specific genes, including stereocilium ( Atp2b2, Xirp2 ), synaptic ( Nsg2 ), and ion channel genes ( Kcnab1 , Kcna10 ), together with new potential biomarkers of HC stress ( Vsig10l2 ). A second common response across species and compounds was the upregulation of the stress mediator Atf3 . Model- or time-restricted responses included downregulation of cell–cell adhesion and mitochondrial ATP synthesis genes, and upregulation of the interferon response, unfolded protein response, and tRNA aminoacylation genes. Conclusions The present results provide key information on the responses of the vestibular sensory epithelium to chronic ototoxic stress, potentially relevant to other types of chronic stress.

Polyethylenimine (PEI) has been demonstrated to be an effective non-viral synthetic polymer for efficient gene delivery amongst various cell types in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, 25 kDa linear PEI (L-PEI) was used to transfer plasmid DNA (pDNA), encoding the enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter gene, into the cultured cochlear epithelium of neonatal mice. The 25 kDa L-PEI/pDNA nanoparticles were generated in phosphate-buffered saline prior to transfection. Sensory epithelial cells were transfected using an appropriate weight ratio of L-PEI and pDNA. However, the use of higher L-PEI/pDNA ratios, which result in the generation of a greater number of nanoparticles, induced significant damage to the sensory epithelial cells, as demonstrated by immunofluorescent and transmission electron microscopy analyses. These results indicated that precautionary measures are required with regard to the use of PEI nanoparticles in nanomedicine, and emphasized the requirement for thorough physicochemical characterization and toxicity testing for each polymer vector prior to the construction of nanotechnology systems for use in clinical applications. The development of effective management techniques for potential nano-ototoxicity risks is of considerable significance to the clinical applications of nanoparticles.

Atoh1 overexpression in cochlear epithelium induces new hair cell formation. Use of adenovirus-mediated Atoh1 overexpression has mainly focused on the rat lesser epithelial ridge and induces ectopic hair cell regeneration. The sensory region of rat cochlea is difficult to transfect, thus new hair cells are rarely produced in situ in rat cochlear explants. After culturing rat cochleae in medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, adenovirus successfully infected the sensory region as the width of the supporting cell area was significantly increased. Adenovirus encoding Atoh1 infected the sensory region and induced hair cell formation in situ. Combined application of the Notch inhibitor DAPT and Atoh1 increased the Atoh1 expression level and decreased hes1 and hes5 levels, further promoting hair cell generation. Our results demonstrate that DAPT enhances Atoh1 activity to promote hair cell regeneration in rat cochlear sensory epithelium in vitro.

Mammalian hearing requires the development of the organ of Corti, a sensory epithelium comprising unique cell types. The limited number of each of these cell types, combined with their close proximity, has prevented characterization of individual cell types and/or their developmental progression. To examine cochlear development more closely, we transcriptionally profile approximately 30,000 isolated mouse cochlear cells collected at four developmental time points. Here we report on the analysis of those cells including the identification of both known and unknown cell types. Trajectory analysis for OHCs indicates four phases of gene expression while fate mapping of progenitor cells suggests that OHCs and their surrounding supporting cells arise from a distinct (lateral) progenitor pool. Tgfβr1 is identified as being expressed in lateral progenitor cells and a Tgfβr1 antagonist inhibits OHC development. These results provide insights regarding cochlear development and demonstrate the potential value and application of this data set. How the development of the cochlear epithelium is regulated is unclear. Here, the authors use single cell RNAseq analysis to provide insight into the transcriptional changes arising during development of the murine cochlear inner and outer hair cells.

The function of outer hair cells (OHCs), the mechanical actuators of the cochlea, involves the anchoring of their tallest stereocilia in the tectorial membrane (TM), an acellular structure overlying the sensory epithelium. Otogelin and otogelin-like are TM proteins related to secreted epithelial mucins. Defects in either cause the DFNB18B and DFNB84B genetic forms of deafness, respectively, both characterized by congenital mild-to-moderate hearing impairment. We show here that mutant mice lacking otogelin or otogelin-like have a marked OHC dysfunction, with almost no acoustic distortion products despite the persistence of some mechanoelectrical transduction. In both mutants, these cells lack the horizontal top connectors, which are fibrous links joining adjacent stereocilia, and the TM-attachment crowns coupling the tallest stereocilia to the TM. These defects are consistent with the previously unrecognized presence of otogelin and otogelin-like in the OHC hair bundle. The defective hair bundle cohesiveness and the absence of stereociliary imprints in the TM observed in these mice have also been observed in mutant mice lacking stereocilin, a model of the DFNB16 genetic form of deafness, also characterized by congenital mild-to-moderate hearing impairment. We show that the localizations of stereocilin, otogelin, and otogelin-like in the hair bundle are interdependent, indicating that these proteins interact to form the horizontal top connectors and the TM-attachment crowns. We therefore suggest that these 2 OHC-specific structures have shared mechanical properties mediating reaction forces to sound-induced shearing motion and contributing to the coordinated displacement of stereocilia.

The field of cochlear mechanics has been undergoing a revolution due to recent findings made possible by advancements in measurement techniques. While it has long been assumed that basilar-membrane (BM) motion is the most important determinant of sound transduction by the inner hair cells (IHCs), it turns out that other parts of the sensory epithelium closer to the IHCs, such as the reticular lamina (RL), move with significantly greater amplitude for weaker sounds. It has not been established how these findings are related to the complex cytoarchitecture of the organ of Corti between the BM and RL, which is composed of a lattice of asymmetric Y-shaped elements, each consisting of a basally slanted outer hair cell (OHC), an apically slanted phalangeal process (PhP), and a supporting Deiters’ cell (DC). Here, a computational model of the mouse cochlea supports the hypothesis that the OHC micromotors require this Y-shaped geometry for their contribution to the exquisite sensitivity and frequency selectivity of the mammalian cochlea. By varying only the OHC gain parameter, the model can reproduce measurements of BM and RL gain and tuning for a variety of input sound levels. Malformations such as reversing the orientations of the OHCs and PhPs or removing the PhPs altogether greatly reduce the effectiveness of the OHC motors. These results imply that the DCs and PhPs must be properly accounted for in emerging OHC regeneration therapies.

Mechanosensitive hair cells (HCs) in the cochlear sensory epithelium are critical for sound detection and transduction. Mammalian HCs in the cochlea undergo cytogenesis during embryonic development, and irreversible damage to hair cells postnatally is a major cause of deafness. During the development of the organ of Corti, HCs and supporting cells (SCs) originate from the same precursors. In the neonatal cochlea, damage to HCs activates adjacent SCs to act as HC precursors and to differentiate into new HCs. However, the plasticity of SCs to produce new HCs is gradually lost with cochlear development. Here, we delineate an essential role for the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Net1 in SC trans-differentiation into HCs. Net1 overexpression mediated by AAV-ie in SCs promoted cochlear organoid formation and HC differentiation under two and three-dimensional culture conditions. Also, AAV-Net1 enhanced SC proliferation in Lgr5-EGFPCreERT2 mice and HC generation as indicated by lineage tracing of HCs in the cochleae of Lgr5-EGFPCreERT2/Rosa26-tdTomatoloxp/loxp mice. We further found that the up-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin and Notch signaling in AAV-Net1-transduced cochleae might be responsible for the SC proliferation and HC differentiation. Also, Net1 overexpression in SCs enhanced SC proliferation and HC regeneration and survival after HC damage by neomycin. Taken together, our study suggests that Net1 might serve as a potential target for HC regeneration and that AAV-mediated gene regulation may be a promising approach in stem cell-based therapy in hearing restoration.

The relationship between foraging modes and sensory system morphology is critical for understanding the ecological and evolutionary adaptations of lizards. This study investigates the nasal olfactory system (NOS) and vomeronasal system (VNS) of four sympatric lizards from the Turpan Basin, China, which exhibit distinct foraging strategies: the active foraging Eremias roborowskii (Lacertidae), the sit‐and‐wait foraging Phrynocephalus axillaris (Agamidae) and Tenuidactylus dadunensis (Gekkonidae), and the seasonally frugivorous Teratoscincus roborowskii (Sphaerodactylidae), which adopts active foraging during fruit‐searching. Using diffusible iodine‐based contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (DiceCT) and histological sections, we compared the morphology and histology of their NOS and VNS. The results showed significant differences in the nasal cavity and vomeronasal organ structures: active foraging species (E. roborowskii and T. roborowskii) exhibited an enlarged nasal cavity with well‐developed lateral nasal conchae, thicker olfactory epithelium (OE), and higher densities of olfactory receptor cells compared to sit‐and‐wait foraging species. The VNS of active foraging lizards also showed thicker vomeronasal sensory epithelium (VSE) and greater vomeronasal receptor cell densities, particularly in E. roborowskii. In contrast, sit‐and‐wait foraging P. axillaris displayed reduced nasal conchae, thinner OE and VSE, and fewer receptor cells. Interestingly, the seasonal active foraging T. roborowskii demonstrated NOS enhancements akin to obligate active foraging species, suggesting a link between fruit detection and olfactory specialization. These findings support the hypothesis that foraging modes drive morphological divergence in the olfactory systems of lizards, highlighting the role of sensory adaptations in ecological niche specialization. This study provides novel insights into the coevolution of sensory structures and foraging behavior in sympatric lizards. Further studies are needed to explore the functional implications of these morphological differences. The relationship between foraging modes and sensory system morphology is critical for understanding the ecological and evolutionary adaptations of lizards. This study investigates the nasal olfactory system (NOS) and vomeronasal system (VNS) of four sympatric lizards from the Turpan Basin, China, which exhibit distinct foraging strategies. Using diffusible iodine‐based contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (DiceCT) and histological sections, we compared the morphology and histology of their NOS and VNS. The results support the hypothesis that foraging modes drive morphological divergence in the olfactory systems of lizards, highlighting the role of sensory adaptations in ecological niche specialization. This study provides novel insights into the coevolution of sensory structures and foraging behavior in sympatric lizards.

Each vestibular sensory epithelium in the inner ear is divided morphologically and physiologically into two zones, called the striola and extrastriola in otolith organ maculae, and the central and peripheral zones in semicircular canal cristae. We found that formation of striolar/central zones during embryogenesis requires Cytochrome P450 26b1 (Cyp26b1)-mediated degradation of retinoic acid (RA). In Cyp26b1 conditional knockout mice, formation of striolar/central zones is compromised, such that they resemble extrastriolar/peripheral zones in multiple features. Mutants have deficient vestibular evoked potential (VsEP) responses to jerk stimuli, head tremor and deficits in balance beam tests that are consistent with abnormal vestibular input, but normal vestibulo-ocular reflexes and apparently normal motor performance during swimming. Thus, degradation of RA during embryogenesis is required for formation of highly specialized regions of the vestibular sensory epithelia with specific functions in detecting head motions. The coding of sensory inputs at the level of vestibular sensory organs is not well understood. In this study, the authors demonstrate that the formation of striolar/central zones during embryogenesis requires Cytochrome P450 26b1 (Cyp26b1)-mediated degradation of retinoic acid and show that Cyp26b1 cKO mice have abnormal vestibular evoked potentials and balance beam performance, but normal vestibular-ocular reflexes.

Hair cell (HC) loss by epithelial extrusion has been described to occur in the rodent vestibular system during chronic 3,3′-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) ototoxicity. This is preceded by dismantlement of the calyceal junction in the contact between type I HC (HCI) and calyx afferent terminals. Here, we evaluated whether these phenomena have wider significance. First, we studied rats receiving seven different doses of streptomycin, ranging from 100 to 800 mg/kg/day, for 3–8 weeks. Streptomycin caused loss of vestibular function associated with partial loss of HCI and decreased expression of contactin-associated protein (CASPR1), denoting calyceal junction dismantlement, in the calyces encasing the surviving HCI. Additional molecular and ultrastructural data supported the conclusion that HC-calyx detachment precede HCI loss by extrusion. Animals allowed to survive after the treatment showed functional recuperation and rebuilding of the calyceal junction. Second, we evaluated human sensory epithelia obtained during therapeutic labyrinthectomies and trans-labyrinthine tumour excisions. Some samples showed abnormal CASPR1 label strongly suggestive of calyceal junction dismantlement. Therefore, reversible dismantlement of the vestibular calyceal junction may be a common response triggered by chronic stress, including ototoxic stress, before HCI loss. This may partly explain clinical observations of reversion in function loss after aminoglycoside exposure.