PRESS RELEASES

2 April 2009

Stem cell development could lead to deafness treatment

Scientists speaking in Oxford at the UK National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) Annual Science Conference on Monday 06 April 2009 will present research that could lead to a stem cell therapy to restore hearing loss.

Dr Marcelo Rivolta of the University of Sheffield will explain how his team has identified auditory stem cells, cultured them in the lab and successfully differentiated them into the two types of auditory cell required for hearing. The work is funded by the RNID and Deafness Research UK.

Dr Rivolta said: “The neurons and hair cells in the ear that we rely on for our hearing are only created in the womb. This means that when they are lost or damaged they are gone forever, making deafness irreversible. We have managed to generate both types of auditory cell from a human tissue and grow them in the lab for the first time.”

Although the work is at early stage it represents an important step towards both a fundamental understanding of how the body develops hearing function and, potentially, a stem cell therapy that could restore hearing loss.

The Sheffield team have been able to isolate auditory stem cells from the developing cochlea and then differentiate these into neurons and stem cells. However, even more importantly they have also developed a technique to generate vital inner ear cells from embryonic stem cells.

Dr Rivolta said: “We have found the recipe, the necessary additives to the Petri dish, to persuade embryonic stem cells, which can become any cell in the body, to become auditory cells – neurons and hair cells. Our lab studies have shown that these cells behave and function just like their counterparts in our developing ears.”

The potential of the techniques and the cells is far reaching. The cells provide a lab-based way of testing new drugs and new hearing-related medical approaches in an accurate way, reducing the need to use animals. However, most exciting is the long-term possibility of a stem cell treatment to restore hearing in deaf patients.

Dr Rivolta said: “The adult human body cannot regenerate these auditory cells. Once they are damaged hearing is lost for life. The next step in our research is to explore how these cells react when grafted into animal models. In the long-term we all hope they may offer a route to restoring hearing for patients.”

Vivienne Michael, Chief Executive of Deafness Research UK, said: "Stem cell research is becoming increasingly important in the quest to find treatments and possible cures for hearing loss. The recent research is exciting on two fronts; it means we may soon have new ways of testing drugs on auditory cells, and the possibility of restoring hearing with stem cell therapy in the future is now a reality."

Dr Ralph Holme, director of biomedical research at RNID, said: “Stem cell therapy for hearing loss is still some years away but this research is incredibly promising and opens up exciting possibilities by bringing us closer to restoring hearing in the future.”

ENDS

Contact

UKNSCN Media Relations
Matt Goode, Tel: 01793 413299, e-mail: matt.goode@bbsrc.ac.uk (Direct)
Nancy Mendoza, Tel: 01793 413355, e-mail: nancy.mendoza@bbsrc.ac.uk (Direct)
UKNSCN press office e-mail: ukpo@uknscn.org

About UKNSCN Annual Conference

The UKNSCN Conference is being held in Oxford at the Examination Schools, 6-8 April 2009. The Conference is the UK’s premier stem cell research conference. It is the only conference to bring together all branches of stem cell science – developmental biology, tissue engineering, clinical, social science and industry and to encompass all techniques, iPS, embryonic and adult.

About UKNSCN

The UK National Stem Cell Network acts as a network of the existing regional stem cell networks in the UK, to bring coordination and coherence to a range of national and regional activities in the field of stem cell research.

The UKNSCN secretariat receives financial support from four of the UK Research Councils:

• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)

The Network represents the UK stem cell research community and is run through an independent Steering Committee. Initially, the secretariat is operated by BBSRC on behalf of all the Government sponsors of stem cell research, including the Research Councils, the Department of Health and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

About RNID

RNID is the largest charity working to change the world for the UK's nine million people who are deaf and hard of hearing people. We do this with the help of our members by campaigning and lobbying, raising awareness of deafness and hearing loss, providing services and through social, medical and technical research.

About Deafness Research UK

Deafness Research UK is the country's only charity dedicated to finding new cures, treatments and technologies for deaf, hard of hearing and other hearing impaired people. The charity supports high quality medical research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment including tinnitus.

About the University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is one of the UK’s leading and largest universities. A member of the Russell Group, it has a reputation for world-class teaching and research excellence across a wide range of disciplines. For further information, please visit www.sheffield.ac.uk

See also:

2009 annual scientific conference