Repair of traumatized mammalian hair cells via sea anemone repair proteins

• Published in: Journal of experimental biology Vol. 219; no. Pt 15; pp. 2265 - 2270
• Main Authors: Tang, Pei-Ciao, Smith, Karen Müller, Watson, Glen M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.08.2016
• Subjects: Animals; Culture Media - pharmacology; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer - drug effects; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer - pathology; Mice; Proteins - pharmacology; Proteome - metabolism; Pyridinium Compounds - metabolism; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds - metabolism; Sea Anemones - chemistry; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Cochlea; Deafness; Hair cell evolution; Outer hair cells; Mouse
• ISSN: 0022-0949; 1477-9145
• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.135459

Mammalian hair cells possess only a limited ability to repair damage after trauma. In contrast, sea anemones show a marked capability to repair damaged hair bundles by means of secreted repair proteins (RPs). Previously, it was found that recovery of traumatized hair cells in blind cavefish was enhanced by anemone-derived RPs; therefore, the ability of anemone RPs to assist recovery of damaged hair cells in mammals was tested here. After a 1 h incubation in RP-enriched culture media, uptake of FM1-43 by experimentally traumatized murine cochlear hair cells was restored to levels comparable to those exhibited by healthy controls. In addition, RP-treated explants had significantly more normally structured hair bundles than time-matched traumatized control explants. Collectively, these results indicate that anemone-derived RPs assist in restoring normal function and structure of experimentally traumatized hair cells of the mouse cochlea.