Type I hair cell regeneration induced by Math1 gene transfer following neomycin ototoxicity in rat vestibular sensory epithelium

Abstract

Conclusion: In the current study, hair cells of vestibular terminal organs in rats were completely eliminated with trans-scala vestibuli injection of neomycin, and then the Math1 gene was transferred. It was shown that type I vestibular hair cells were regenerated and synapses were formed. Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the cell type of the regenerated vestibular hair cells and relative innervation and synaptic linkage after hair cells of vestibular terminal organs in rats were completely eliminated. Methods: Neomycin injection was used to eliminate all the vestibular terminal organs, and then the animals were treated with an injection of Ad-Math1-EGFP in the scala vestibuli of the cochlea. Results: Math1 gene transfer into the inner ear induced type I hair cell regeneration and synaptic formation. However, neither the number nor the appearance of the hair cells was normal.

Keywords::

• Hearing loss
• gene therapy
• vestibular function
• synaptic linkage

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China (863) (#2007AA02Z150) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (#30871398, 30730040, 30571017, 30000189) to S.M.Y, and the NSFC (#81000483), New Star Project of Science and Technology of Beijing (2010B083) to Z.H.H.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Supplementary Figures 1–3.