Reprogramming by drug-like molecules leads to regeneration of cochlear hair cell-like cells in adult mice.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
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Abstract

Strategies to overcome irreversible cochlear hair cell (HC) damage and loss in mammals are of vital importance to hearing recovery in patients with permanent hearing loss. In mature mammalian cochlea, co-activation of and reprograms supporting cells (SC) and promotes HC regeneration. Understanding of the underlying mechanisms may aid the development of a clinically relevant approach to achieve HC regeneration in the nontransgenic mature cochlea. By single-cell RNAseq, we show that MYC/NICD "rejuvenates" the adult mouse cochlea by activating multiple pathways including Wnt and cyclase activator of cyclic AMP (cAMP), whose blockade suppresses HC-like cell regeneration despite / activation. We screened and identified a combination (the cocktail) of drug-like molecules composing of small molecules and small interfering RNAs to activate the pathways of and We show that the cocktail effectively replaces and transgenes and reprograms fully mature wild-type (WT) SCs for HC-like cells regeneration in vitro. Finally, we demonstrate the cocktail is capable of reprogramming adult cochlea for HC-like cells regeneration in WT mice with HC loss in vivo. Our study identifies a strategy by a clinically relevant approach to reprogram mature inner ear for HC-like cells regeneration, laying the foundation for hearing restoration by HC regeneration.

Year of Publication
2023
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume
120
Issue
17
Pages
e2215253120
Date Published
04/2023
ISSN
1091-6490
DOI
10.1073/pnas.2215253120
PubMed ID
37068229
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