Gene therapy to overcome deafness

With gene therapy, the researchers were able to restore hearing in mice. They believe that the human experiments give a positive result, reports BBC. A team of scientists from Oregon has made genetic changes in the cells (germ cells) that are responsible for the interpretation of sounds in the middle ear. In humans with normal hearing gametes sound into electrical signals, which are transmitted from the brain. In the event of damage to germ cells is an irreversible process, of course. According to Professor Andy Forge numbness from the United Kingdom, it is too early to talk about the clinical application of this method, but it would be a huge success, as suffering in the UK only about 9 million people with hearing loss or lack of it. Many of them have lost their hearing over time due to the loss of germ cells. The constant noise causes severe hearing impairment to the germ cells. U.S. researchers conducted an experiment on mice, which means that transformed under the influence of gene therapy ordinary cells germinate disclosed. In gene therapy specialist uses a secure virus to provide a copy of a key gene in the cell. As a key gene Atoh1 what is used in the formation of germ cells involved. The ability to reproduce the germ cells - a critical step in the fight against deafness that can be used as a treatment for the disease, the scientists said.