Gene therapy could cure deafness
Gene therapy could cure deafness
2008-08-28Newsfeed
Innovative genetic engineering by US scientists could eventually lead to a cure for deafness, it has been revealed.
Innovative genetic engineering by US scientists could eventually lead to a cure for deafness, it has been revealed.
Tiny hairs found in the inner ear, which are vital to hearing, have been regrown through gene therapy in the ears of mice.
The cochlea hairs translate sound waves into nerve messages so if they are lost or damaged, hearing may be irrevocably impaired.
This is an early step towards curing deafness as mammals are not normally able to regenerate the hairs, but this obstacle could be overcome by genetic engineering.
The US researchers led by Dr John Brigande, from Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, inserted a gene called Atoh 1, which activates cochlea hair development, into mice while they were still developing in the womb. This created non-sensory cells in the inner ear to become hair cells. Cochlea hairs became technically functional as they attached to nerve fibres during tests.
The scientists wrote in the journal Nature that the success of the tests may lead to the design and functional assessment of gene therapies aimed at curing human deafness and balance disorders. They said it is a crucial first step in defining therapies for inner ear disease in humans.
Copyright © The Press Association 2008
