From Schwann cell to neuron: Inner ear glial cell reprogramming as a tool for neural regeneration.

Sensorineural hearing loss is irreversible and can be caused by loss of auditory neurons. Regeneration of neurons from Schwann cells may offer a future alternative to implantable hearing devices. Neurons and Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system are closely related and originate from a common progenitor. Prior work in our lab demonstrated that in the postnatal mouse inner ear, a subset of glial cells can be stimulated to turn into neurons in vitro and in vivo.

We used transgenic mice and lentiviral vectors in vitro and in vivo to induce transient overexpression of proneural genes such as Lin28, Ascl1 or Neurog1 in Plp1 positive glial cells. This was sufficient to initiate neural differentiation and to reprogram endogenous glia into neurons in a murine Schwann cell culture model and in a mouse model of auditory neuropathy in vivo.

The objective of our glial conversion studies is to alter fate commitment in the glial progenitor cells of the spiral ganglion: Inner ear Schwann cells harbor the potential to replace auditory neurons after damage and may be tapped for future endogenous regeneration therapies.

Poster-PDF A-1692.pdf

Publication History

Article published online:
13 May 2021