Gene-Correction Therapy Improves Hearing Loss by 10 Times

A Severance Hospital research team has confirmed that gene-editing therapy can treat progressive hearing loss.

As a result, after seven weeks, AAV-injected mice showed an average hearing improvement of 20 dB in the entire frequency range (6-30 kHz).

→ Gene-correction therapy improves hearing loss by 10 times

 

Put it in me.

 

It says age-related heay loss. Would it also work for sudden hearing loss due to loud noise?

 

Most age-related hearing loss is due to noise, it's just not as fast as when you experience acoustic shock.

 

Is Korea the place to live for hearing loss and tinnitus sufferers?

Interesting it is potassium channel related again.

More 'science' pointing towards potassium channel malfunction.

 

Why do they keep using mice... Seems that everything works well on mice but that's not translating to positive human results. I think these researchers need to pick a different test animal. Give the mice a break

 

Yeah, like monkeys.

 

I'm going to build a time machine and have humans evolve from rodents instead of apes. All these treatments are helping those suckers out. This is great news regardless.

 

They can try it on me.

 

As you might imagine, there are many good reasons they use mice. It's not like they set out to fail.

 

Another reason rodents are used as models in medical testing is that their genetic, biological and behavioral characteristics closely resemble those of humans, and many symptoms of human conditions can be replicated in mice and rats.

"Rats and mice are mammals that share many processes with humans and are appropriate for use to answer many research questions," said Jenny Haliski, a representative for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare.

 

I remember reading somewhere that most lab mice are inbred to maintain a constant genetic baseline. I don't know if that applies much to this study but can't help but be paranoid in thinking that maybe this lineage of mice has some mega ears that just want to regenerate on their own.

 

That would happen then in all of them, not just dosed.

 

Could we not clone a human cochlea and then apply this gene therapy to see if it works? Or is a fully living system necessary to test these things out?

 

Look up cochlear organoids. It's being used to test these kinds of things.

 

"The team also confirmed that the gene-editing also improved the damaged outer hair cells in the mice whose hearing improved."

 

I wonder how long we'll have to wait for this therapy; years, a decade?

 

This news is awesome but I need to know their timeline to getting this to human trials.

 

As fast as possible please, this hearing damage is just the worst thing I have experienced in my life, and I got some serious problems.

 

From mice to first human safety study? 2-4 years I'd think. All of these solutions are pretty far away.

 

If you build that time machine, that’s the real cure. We won’t need any treatments, just different decisions to alter our lives. How’s the progress coming?

 

I want there to be a way to expedite human application without risking safety. Reality is most of the obstacles can be overcome with boatloads of money.

 

I started out small and tried converting a microwave oven. Cranked the magnetron into a high enough frequency that it messed with the light bulb inside. Then tried to see what would happen to an apple. It melted and burned. The smell was both acrid and sweet like burning caramel.

 

FWD: Sorry for triple post.

My scientific literacy may be failing me here but I can't help but notice that the article associated with this describes a situation that more than likely will help those with Potassium channel issues as opposed to those whose hearing loss and tinnitus are the product of acoustic traumas. Which is to say those with genetically sourced hearing loss are going to benefit spectacularly. The treatment uses CRISPR which tailored the DNA of the subject mice to mend a genetic flaw. Hence the term "gene correction". Granted CRISPR and gene manipulation has potential for hearing loss caused by noise exposure itself.

 

I remain skeptical: gene-editing seems to me like the Pandora Box (cancer triggering...)

 

I will risk it. If the body doesn't understand that it needs to build up back those structures, then it doesn't deserve to live.

 

According to Harvard, successful tests in mice tend to lead to failure in humans:

Why Drugs Tested in Mice Fail in Human Clinical Trials

So a decent amount of salt should be included in expectations.

 

I'll take it.

 

Keep your fingers crossed it can work on humans.

 

I'll take it over the cancer risk if it has one.