Cell-based neurotrophin treatment for auditory neuron survival in deafness

Abstract

The cochlear implant provides auditory cues to patients with profound hearing loss by electrically stimulating the auditory neurons

within the cochlea, but the ongoing regeneration of auditory neurons

that occurs in sensorineural hearing loss may be a limiting factor in cochlear implant efficacy. The exogenous application of neurotrophins such as BDNF can rescue auditory neurons from this deafness induced

degeneration; however, these survival effects are not maintained. A safe and efficient means of delivering neurotrophins to the cochlea, which can be used in conjunction with a cochlear implant for

long-term survival of auditory neurons, is required for this therapy to be clinically transferable.

We investigated the survival-promoting effects of cell-based neurotrophin treatment and electrical stimulation, using fibroblasts

genetically modified to express BDNF and encapsulated in a biocompatible matrix, on auditory neurons in the deaf guinea pig.