the-miniature-pig-a-large-animal-model-for-cochlear-implant-research

The Miniature Pig: A Large Animal Model for Cochlear Implant Research

Cochlear implants (CI) are the most effective method to treat people with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. Although CIs are used worldwide, ...

Chinese PLA general hospital

National Clinical Research Center for Otolaryngologic Diseases

Ministry of Education

Beijing Key Lab of Hearing Impairment for Prevention and Treatment

Chinese PLA General Hospital

To examine if transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UMSC) into cochlea can be used to repair sensorineural hearing. Here we transplanted the fifth and sixth generations of UMSCs through the subarachnoid cavity of congenital deaf albino pigs. Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were measured before and after UMSC transplantation. Cochlear samples were collected at 2 hrs, 3 days, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 weeks after transplantation. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the proliferated cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The UMSCs were found in different regions of the cochlea, including the stria vascularis, the basal membrane and the spiral ganglions, 3 days to 4 weeks after the transplantation. UMSCs and their DNA were found also in the areas of the brain, the heart, the liver, the kidney and the lung. ABR tests displayed a new waveform in the congenital deaf albino pigs after the UMSCs transplantation. We conclude that human UMSCs injected into the subarachnoid space can migrate into the inner ear, the central nervous system and the periphery organs. The presence of UMSCs in the cochlea maybe associated with changes of ABR waveforms in the congenital deaf albino pigs.

Transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in cochlea to repair sensorineural hearing.

The purpose of this study was to establish a safe and effective approach to label the human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) derived from the Wharton's Jelly with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles as a cell tracer. The cytotoxicity of the SPIO was screened in vitro by cytochemical experiments. The results showed the new infection protocol of SPIO-Lip2000 mixture had high efficiency and the optimal labeling concentration was a 50 μg/ml SPIO suspension. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) confirmed the distribution of the intracellular SPIO. We transplanted the labeled UC-MSCs into the sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) minipigs at 1 week after noise exposure. Auditory brainstem response results demonstrated the transplantation of UC-MSCs was an efficient therapy for SNHL. The positive sediments in cochlear blood vessels, the bony wall of scala tympani, and spiral ganglion nerve fibers were found in the stem cell recipients' cochlea. We did not detect iron elements in the inner/outer hair cells' stereocilia, cuticular plate, or pillar cells from the basal to apex turns of the stem cell recipients' cochlea. In addition, TEM found SPIO in the medulla oblongata and the cerebrum in the SNHL minipigs after stem cell transplantation. In conclusion, we established a safe and effective approach to labeled human UC-MSCs derived from Wharton's Jelly by using SPIO nanoparticles as a cell tracer in vitro and in vivo. This protocol showed a wide promising application in stem cell therapy and tracing in vivo for experiments with large mammals. Anat Rec, 303:494-505, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.

Transplantation and Tracking of the Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Labeled with Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide in Deaf Pigs.

 A set of Chinese Mandarin monosyllable test lists has been widely used in clinical diagnosis, while the performance of the Mandarin-speaking patients with auditory neuropathy (AN) in the monosyllable tests was still unknown. To analyze the characteristics of monosyllable recognition in Mandarin-speaking patients with AN. Nineteen Mandarin-speaking patients diagnosed with AN were recruited to obtain the performance-intensity (P-I) functions. They were divided into two paired groups according to two conditions: (1) the rising-slope (RS) and the non-rising-slope pattern (NRS) group for the audiogram; or (2) the male and the female group for gender. The performance at 20 and 30 dB SL showed negative correlation with the pure tone-averaged thresholds of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 kHz (4FA). We found significant differences between the P-I functions of the RS and the NRS group, and surprisingly found that between the male and female as well although there was no difference in 4FA between the paired groups. A notable rollover phenomenon in P-I functions was detected in each group. The monosyllable recognition scores of Mandarin-speaking AN patients showed numerous particular characteristics reflected by P-I functions. Acquiring the complete P-I functions at multiple presentation levels and the rollover index may give us more information about the diagnosis and prognosis.

Liangwei Xu

College of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery

Chinese PLA general hospital

The Miniature Pig: A Large Animal Model for Cochlear Implant Research