Hair cell regeneration in cochlea utilizing adeno-associated virus vector ending PC3 gene

据报道，PC3基因在胚胎期具有阻止小脑颗粒细胞前体细胞分裂，促进mathl在小脑颗粒细胞中的表达的功能。即PC3促进小脑颗粒细胞的分化。Mathl是胚胎耳蜗毛细胞分化的关键基因，最初被鉴定为促进小脑颗粒细胞分化的转录因子。考虑到这一事实，PC3也可能促进耳蜗毛细胞分化。本研究的目的是评估正常大鼠耳蜗内耳中PC3的表达，并在体外将PC3基因转移到耳蜗组织中，以确定PC3的功能。PC3在正常大鼠耳蜗胚胎期和新生期均有表达。然而，与我们预期相反，在毛细胞区域未检测到PC3。螺旋神经节中检测到PC3。考虑到这一事实，PC3不调节mathl表达，PC3可能与螺旋神经节细胞的发育有关。目前，我们正在利用电穿孔法进行基因转移研究，以澄清这一点，并评估PC3在螺旋神经节细胞中的作用。

It is reported that PC3 gene has functions to stop cell division of precursor cells of the cerebellar granule cells in the embryonic stage, and facilitate mathl expression in the cerebellar granule cells. Namely, PC3 promotes the differentiation of the cerebellar granule cells. Mathl, which is a key gene for hair cells differentiation in the embryonic cochlea, is originally identified as a transcription factor to promote the differentiation of the cerebellar granule cells. Considering this fact, PC3 may also facilitate hair cell differentiation in cochlea.The purposes of this study are to assess the PC3 expression in the inner ear in normal rat cochlea, and to perform gene transfer of PC3 to cochlea tissue in vitro in order to determine the function of PC3.PC3 was expressed in cochlear in embryonic stage and the neonatal stage in normal rat cochlea. However, PC3 was not detected in hair cell region contrary to our expectation. PC3 was detected in the spiral ganglion. Considering this fact, PC3 does not regulate mathl expression and PC3 are probably related with the development of the spiral ganglion cells. Now, we are working on gene transfer study utilizing electroporation method to clarify this point and to assess the faction of PC3 in spiral ganglion cells.