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This gene therapy technique could cure hearing loss

Hearing aids and cochlear implants offer limited relief for patients affected by genetic hearing loss. Researchers have developed a technique of gene therapy in mice, promising for humans.

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A team of researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear offers new hope to patients who suffer from hearing loss. It should be noted that among all these cases, genetic hearing loss is often the most difficult to apprehend, as no available treatment can reverse or prevent these genetic mutations. For example, the results of cochlear implants (the cochlea is the part of the inner ear dedicated to hearing) remain poor for some patients.

According to a new study published in Molecular Therapycombining these cochlear implants with gene therapy could help treat genetic hearing loss.

What is this gene therapy?

The researchers generated a mature mouse model with a mutation equivalent to that of the human TMPRSS3 gene, known to cause progressive hearing loss. They then injected these animals with “gene-associated virus vectors,” which carry a healthy TMPRSS3 gene. According to the authors, this administration saves the hair cells of the cochlea and the neurons of the spiral ganglion. ” A noticeable restoration of hearing was observed. This advance suggests the potential of gene therapies to treat genetic hearing loss, even in old age. »

Promising for humans, the study is the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of gene therapy mediated by this type of vector to reverse hearing loss in elderly mice.

Written by Emilie Grenaud

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