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Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine found a way to regenerate hair cells in the inner ear of the mouse, allowing animals to recover vestibular function. This is the first time that such a recovery is observed in mature mammals.
If further research shows that the technique can be applied to humans, it would act as a first step towards treating vestibular disorders, such as vertigo. There is currently no effective treatment for vertigo and balance disorders caused by damaged or lost vestibular hair cells. The only therapy available is to teach patients the coping mechanisms through physical therapy.
This debilitating disease is very common among the elderly and is one of the leading causes of falls. "
Alan Cheng, MD, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Cheng is the lead author of an article on research, which will be published on July 9 in Cell reports. Zahra Sayyid, Ph.D. student at Stanford University, is the principal author.
The hair cells of the uterus, a part of the inner ear, help maintain balance and spatial orientation and regulate eye movements. Some antibiotics can damage these cells. The damage can also result from infections, genetic disorders or aging. In mature mammals, vestibular hair cells regenerate only minimally. (Birds and fish, however, have the ability to regenerate them completely.)
In the United States, about 69 million people are afflicted with vestibular dysfunction, some of which due to problems with hair cells in the inner ear. They may feel dizzy, lose their balance easily, experience nausea, and have trouble following objects with their eyes. Symptoms can prevent patients from participating in activities, including exercise and driving, and can lead to social isolation.
To investigate these vestibular disorders, researchers altered hair cells in the inner ear of mice and measured their ability to regenerate. The researchers found that about one-third of the cells regenerated spontaneously but appeared immature and the vestibular function was irregular.
Next, they manipulated Atoh1, a transcription factor that regulates hair cell formation in mice. In animals overexpressing Atoh1, no less than 70% of the hair cells regenerated. The regenerated cells appeared to be relatively mature and about 70% of these mice returned to their vestibular function.
"It's very exciting – it's an important first step to finding a cure for vestibular disorders," Cheng said. "We could not get enough regeneration to recover our function before."
The researchers plan to study how other methods to improve the function of Atoh1 could affect regeneration.
Although the discovery is a proof of concept, "it has opened the door to many other possibilities that could lead to treatment in people with vestibular disorders," said Sayyid.
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