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Bromodomain Protein BRD4 Is Essential for Hair Cell Function and Survival
Abhiraami Kannan-Sundhari1,2, Clemer Abad3, Marie E Maloof4
1Department of Otolaryngology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
|October 5, 2020
Summary
Deleting the epigenetic reader Brd4 in mouse inner ear hair cells causes profound hearing loss and degeneration. This highlights Brd4's critical role in maintaining hearing function and sensory organ integrity.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
Background:
- Hair cells (HCs) in the inner ear are essential for auditory and vestibular sensory perception.
- The tonotopic organization of the sensory epithelium converts mechanical stimuli into electrical signals.
- Gene expression and regulation within the inner ear are vital for its sustained function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of the epigenetic reader Brd4 in the mouse inner ear.
- To determine the consequences of Brd4 deletion in hair cells on hearing and inner ear structure.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a mouse model with hair cell-specific deletion of the Brd4 gene.
- Analyzing auditory function, stereocilia integrity, nerve fiber presence, and hair cell survival postnatally.
Main Results:
- Hair cell-specific deletion of Brd4 resulted in profound hearing loss (HL) in mice.
- Significant degeneration of stereocilia, nerve fibers, and hair cells was observed postnatally.
- These findings indicate a critical role for Brd4 in the development and maintenance of the inner ear's sensory structures.
Conclusions:
- The epigenetic reader Brd4 is essential for normal hearing function and the maintenance of inner ear hair cells.
- Targeting Brd4 may offer potential therapeutic avenues for hearing loss and related inner ear disorders.
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