Epiphycan is specifically expressed in cochlear supporting cells and is necessary for normal hearing

Yukiko Hanada; Yukiko Nakamura; Yusuke Ishida; Yasumitsu Takimoto; Manabu Taniguchi; Yoshiyuki Ozono; Yoshihisa Koyama; Tetsuo Morihana; Takao Imai; Yumi Ota; Takashi Sato; Hidenori Inohara; Shoichi Shimada

doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.08.092

Epiphycan is specifically expressed in cochlear supporting cells and is necessary for normal hearing

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2017 Oct 21;492(3):379-385. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.08.092. Epub 2017 Aug 31.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
² Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: ynakamura@anat1.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
³ Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
⁴ Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Osaka Police Hospital, 10-31, Kitayamacho, Tennoujiku, Osaka 543-0035, Japan.
⁵ Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
⁶ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
⁷ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, 2-1-14, Hoenzaka, Chuo, Osaka, Osaka 540-0006, Japan.

PMID: 28864419
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.08.092

Abstract

The study of inner ear specific transcripts has revealed novel information about hereditary hearing loss and a mechanism of normal hearing. In this study, by analyzing a published cDNA library, we focused on Epiphycan (Epyc), a member of the small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan family, whose transcript is enriched in the inner ear. Epyc mRNA was expressed abundantly and specifically in adult mice cochleae and was localized in supporting cells within the organ of Corti of both neonatal and adult mice. To examine the function of Epyc, we generated Epyc knockout (KO) mice using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Epyc KO mice cochleae exhibited normal morphology. However, measurement of the auditory brain-stem response in Epyc KO mice revealed an elevated hearing threshold above 16 kHz frequency. This study suggests that Epyc is necessary for normal auditory function.

Keywords: Cochlear supporting cells; Epiphycan; SLRP.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cochlea / cytology*
Cochlea / metabolism*
Female
Hearing / physiology*
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
RNA, Messenger / genetics
RNA, Messenger / metabolism
Small Leucine-Rich Proteoglycans / deficiency
Small Leucine-Rich Proteoglycans / genetics*
Small Leucine-Rich Proteoglycans / metabolism

Substances

Epyc protein, mouse
RNA, Messenger
Small Leucine-Rich Proteoglycans