Stem Cell Treatment for Deafness?

[Shannon721]

Hello everyone,
I have just joined to become a new member here. I need some help out there if anyone can help me or give me any kind of advice, I would very much appreciate it. I am looking for a clinic anywhere that does stem cell treatment for deafness/ Autoimmune inner ear disease/ Meniere?s disease. I am deaf in my left ear and I have all the symptoms of AIED/ MD in my right ear. Over the years I have had many problems with my right ear. I have woken up to sudden hearing loss several times, but have been lucky to gain most of my hearing back. Although here recently about two months ago, I have woken up to the sudden hearing loss again, but I have not gained anything back this time. I am so terrified and disappointed to think I am going completely deaf now and I really need some help. I have tried almost everything. Not even hearing aids do much for me anymore. I have gone to several doctors around the US, but they say there is nothing to do besides give the cochlear implant (which I would never get for several reasons). I have been doing a lot of research about this stem cell treatment now for deafness and I am so intrigued, for I believe this might be exactly what I really need. Though I know this is something very new so I shouldn't get ahead of myself too much, so I must ask first. Does anyone know of any results with getting stem cells for deafness, good or bad? Where is the most recomended place to go for this? Please, any advice would be so helpful. And if I would have to go outside the US to get this, I will do whatever it takes. Again, thank you all so much for any kind of help!
-Shannon

[Kaye]

I ran across this article this a.m. on hearing loss. It also mentions other neurological problems in the last paragraph. Hope it helps. Maybe Barbara will comment. She is our go-to-person on clinic info. Best wishes.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/216126.php


How Nasal Stem Cells Could Tackle Childhood Hearing Problems

Article Date: 10 Feb 2011 - 3:00 PST


Stem Cell scientists in Australia have found that patients suffering from hearing problems which began during infancy and childhood could benefit from a transplant of stem cells from their nose. The research, published today in Stem Cells, reveals that mucosa-derived stem cells can help preserve hearing function during the early-onset of sensorineural hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by the loss of sensory cells or neurons in the cochlea, the sensory organ of the inner ear responsible for hearing. The condition can have genetic causes, often arising during infancy and childhood, hindering cognitive development and leading to speech and language problems.

"One of the challenges in tackling this condition is that the regenerative ability of the human cochlea is severely limited", said lead author Dr. Sharon Oleskevich from the Hearing Research Group at The University of New South Wales. "It has been proposed that the transplantation of cells from other parts of the body could treat, prevent or even reverse hearing loss. The transplanted cells have the potential to repair tissue by replacing damaged cells and enhancing the survival of existing cells, preventing the condition from developing further."

To investigate the effects of this treatment, nasal stem cells were injected into the cochlea of mice displaying symptoms of hearing loss. Mice were chosen for this treatment as they display a similar decline in hearing function following infancy.

"The authors have used an interesting type of adult stem cell, related to mesenchymal stem cells, to reduce the extent of hearing loss. Since the cells did not integrate into the cochlea, it is likely that the effects from the adult stem cells were due to the release of factors to preserve function of the endogenous stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells are known to provide factors to keep many types of cells healthy and functioning," said Jan Nolta, Associate Editor of Stem Cells.

Patient hearing levels were examined using the auditory brainstem response assay, which determines the lowest sound level to which the brain responds, known as the hearing threshold.

The mice which received the transplanted cells were compared to mice who had not received the treatment a month later, revealing that the hearing threshold level in stem cell-transplanted mice was significantly lower.

"The results demonstrate a significant effect of nasal stem cell transplantations for sensorineural hearing loss," concluded Oleskevich. "These cells can be obtained easily from the nasal cavity making this transplantation a potential treatment for other human conditions including Parkinson's disease and cardiac infarction."

Source:
Ben Norman
Wiley-Blackwell

[barbara]

Right now I do not know of any clinics having appreciable success using stem cells to treat hearing loss. Hopefully, members that have hearing loss will chime in here.

I will include a hearing loss question in this month's Ask the Doctor.

[Jeannine]

This story hit the news today

http://www.themedguru.com/20110211/newsfeature/nasal-stem-cells-show-promise-treating-childhood-hearing-problems-86143633.html

As per a new study published in 'Stem Cells,' the transplantation of nasal stem cells to the ear could preserve the hearing of people who have been suffering from auditory problems since infancy or childhood.

For many years scientists have focused on the capabilities and promise of stem cells that are the body?s master cells.

They found that mucosa-derived stem cells can help treat a sensorineural hearing loss which affects the nerves in the cochlea, the sensory organ of the inner ear that is responsible for hearing.

A sensorineural loss can be hereditary and can impair cognitive development and cause speech and language problems.

Lead author of the study Dr. Sharon Oleskevich from the Hearing Research Group at The University of New South Wales stated, "One of the challenges in tackling this condition is that the regenerative ability of the human cochlea is severely limited.

"It has been proposed that the transplantation of cells from other parts of the body could treat, prevent or even reverse hearing loss.

"The transplanted cells have the potential to repair tissue by replacing damaged cells and enhancing the survival of existing cells, preventing the condition from developing further.?

Details of the animal study
In a bid to assess the benefits of stem cell treatment, the researchers conducted an animal study.

They injected mucosa-derived stem cells into the cochlea of mice who exhibited signs that hearing loss.

The investigators used rodents in the study because they display early hearing loss in infancy similar to that of humans.

"The authors have used an interesting type of adult stem cell, related to mesenchymal stem cells, to reduce the extent of hearing loss. Since the cells did not integrate into the cochlea, it is likely that the effects from the adult stem cells were due to the release of factors to preserve function of the endogenous stem cells.

"Mesenchymal stem cells are known to provide factors to keep many types of cells healthy and functioning," said Jan Nolta, Associate Editor of 'Stem Cells'.

Revelations of the study
After a period of one month, the investigators examined the hearing threshold of each mouse using an auditory brainstem response test which measures the lowest sound level to which the brain responds.

It was noted that the hearing threshold level was significantly lower in rodents with transplanted nasal stem cells as opposed to those who were not treated.

Dr Sharon Oleskevich stated, "The results demonstrate a significant effect of nasal stem cell transplantations for sensorineural hearing loss.

"These cells can be obtained easily from the nasal cavity making this transplantation a potential treatment for other human conditions including Parkinson's disease and cardiac infarction."

[barbara]

Here are two articles dated almost 3 years apart about Stefan Heller and his research on treating hearing loss with stem cells. His research on hearing loss according to the first article, dates back 12 years prior to this article. As you can see, the wheels move very slowly, especially in the U.S. Both articles state that a cure is at least a decade or so away.



Stem Cell Transplants Possible Treatment For Hearing Loss
Article Date: 22 Feb 2007

Stefan Heller's dream is to someday find a cure for deafness.

As a leader in stem cell-based research on the inner ear at the Stanford University School of Medicine, he's got a step-by-step plan for making this dream a reality.

It may take another decade or so, but if anyone can do it, he's the guy to place your bets on.

"Everyone asks, 'How long before we do this?'" said Heller, PhD, associate professor of otolaryngology, whose accent still bears the trace of his native Germany. "I tell them the devil is in the details."

But even at the national level, those in the research community remain hopeful that Heller's work will reap successes sooner rather than later. Heller discussed his stem cell research during a panel discussion in San Francisco at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The session was titled "Hearing health: The looming crisis and what can be done about it."

James Battey, MD, director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, lauded Heller as "one of the leading auditory neuroscientists" and points to his stem cell regeneration research as a high priority for the institute.

Heller's vision is to develop a variety of possible cures for deafness. For the past year and a half, since coming to Stanford from Harvard, he's been focused on two paths: drug therapy -which could be as simple as an application of ear drops - and stem cell transplantation into the inner ear to remedy hearing loss.

Currently he's working on perfecting the steps toward eventual stem cell transplantation into humans, with the goal of first curing deafness in mice within the next five years. His lab is also busy studying the ability of birds to regenerate the tiny hair cells in the cochlea. It's these cells that convert the mechanical energy of sound into electrical impulses that are sent to the brain so that a chicken, a mouse or a human can hear. Chickens, like all birds, have the ability to spontaneously regenerate these hair cells, which explains why there are no deaf birds.

"This is promising because it means the genetic program for regeneration exists somewhere in the vertebrate family," Heller said. "We know there is an unknown signal to regenerate that we could use, but we first have to find it."

The idea of using drug therapy to cure deafness has been at the back of Heller's mind since he began researching the inner ear 12 years ago, and it has become more plausible as a result of his lab's successes in the field of stem cell research during the past seven years.

Heller gained international attention in 2003 for identifying stem cells that reside within the inner ear. Since then, his research has focused on using these stem cells to regenerate the critically needed hair cells in the inner ear. Later in 2003, his group reached another significant milestone: the team demonstrated that it is possible to coax embryonic stem cells in a test tube to differentiate into hair cells - and then also to have the stem cells differentiate after transplantation in the ears of chicken embryos.

The two different approaches - new drugs and stem cell transplants - are important because drug treatments are unlikely to help everyone. For some people with genetically caused hearing disorders, he explained, no drug is likely to help. "For them, stem cell transplantation may be the answer," he said

But for the majority of those with hearing loss, particularly in the aging population, drug therapy could be the solution. As the population has aged and noise pollution has grown more severe, health experts now estimate that one in three adults over the age of 65 has developed a handicapping hearing loss.

Coming up with the answers is a slow process, Heller said. "This research takes time and money, but we remain hopeful we'll have some principle answers soon."

----------------------------
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
----------------------------

Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions - Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

Contact: Tracie White
Stanford University Medical Center


A more recent article:

Stem Cell Solution for Hearing Loss Makes Progress
By Janelle Weaver May 13, 2010


If a few too many AC/DC concerts have you now turning up the volume on hearing aids instead of headphones, a new stem cell study in mice is reason for hope.

A team led by Stefan Heller of Stanford University set out to elucidate basic principles of how the inner ear detects sound. But they also created batches of cells that can potentially replace damaged ones in the ear. Their findings are published in the May 14 issue of Cell.

?We basically looked at how nature makes the inner ear, and what is known about the developmental processes involved, and then we just mimicked them in a test tube,? Heller said.

The inner ear contains tiny hair cells that deform when sound waves hit them. Little is known about how these cells transform acoustic waves into neural signals that we interpret as sound, Heller said.

Hearing has remained mysterious compared to other sensory modalities, such as vision, because the inner ear is less accessible and there are relatively few hair cells. Like certain eye cells, hair cells generally don?t regenerate once they die. Therapies using stem cells, or cells derived from embryos that can turn into myriad cell types, can potentially restore normal hearing.


Heller?s team treated cells taken from mouse embryos with various signaling molecules that coaxed them into becoming cells that looked and functioned like normal hair cells. The team used a scanning electron microscope, which forms high-resolution images by bombarding items with electrons. The images revealed that cells of varying height linked together and formed bundles. When the bundles were mechanically stimulated with a slender piece of glass, the cells generated electrical currents that resemble those produced by young hair cells.

For patients who lose hair cells because of common causes, such as noise damage, toxic compounds or aging, there?s a good possibility that regenerating these cells would be an alternative to using cochlear implants, said Albert Edge, a scientist at Harvard University who investigates ways to replace damaged cells in the inner ear. ?If it really works well, it could be a cure rather than a treatment,? he said.

The method of creating hair cells in a dish will also allow scientists to discover molecules that enable hearing. And it will offer a way to screen for drugs that spur the growth of new hair cells.

But there?s still a long way to go. ?Just because you have these cells in a dish, it doesn?t mean that squirting them into the ear is going to make them work,? Edge said.

To restore hearing, researchers still have to figure out how to produce millions of hair cells, prevent stem cells from forming tumors, and translate the work to human cells. ?I?m very cautious about saying this will lead to a cure for deafness that is around the corner,? Heller said. A cure is at least a decade away, he said.

Until then, the best compromise might be to sit in the back row.

[Cynthia]

Hi Shannon,
Welcome to SCP. I too came here in search of answers for hearing loss. My loss is not AI it is sensorineural. In my research, I have found that they say they are treating hearing loss in China. But could not give any specific documented results or examples of improvement. You may have better luck contacting them. There was a girl named Chloe who had AI went to Korea and was helped. Though it was costly. You can find the article on this board. There is a very reputable clinic in Tijuana Mexico called Nepsis or Biogensis that several of the pioneers on this board have gone to for their health issues. They have a great group of American scientists and doctors there. They were willing to try and treat me but I could not justify the costs at this time. You may want to contact them. ANother clinic in Panama called ICM is looking at treating hearing loss just not yet. whenever any news comes out like this article on using nasal stem cells I usually try and track down the scientist to see if they are doing trials etc. It's a shame we live in this so called great country the USA and our govt won't let stem cell treatment be provided. So much for the land of the free!! In the meantime, there are several support groups to assist in coping with hearing loss and it's side effects. Let me know if you need any more information. Keep us posted on your findings!

[Shannon721]

Hi Shannon,
Welcome to SCP. I too came here in search of answers for hearing loss. My loss is not AI it is sensorineural. In my research, I have found that they say they are treating hearing loss in China. But could not give any specific documented results or examples of improvement. You may have better luck contacting them. There was a girl named Chloe who had AI went to Korea and was helped. Though it was costly. You can find the article on this board. There is a very reputable clinic in Tijuana Mexico called Nepsis or Biogensis that several of the pioneers on this board have gone to for their health issues. They have a great group of American scientists and doctors there. They were willing to try and treat me but I could not justify the costs at this time. You may want to contact them. ANother clinic in Panama called ICM is looking at treating hearing loss just not yet. whenever any news comes out like this article on using nasal stem cells I usually try and track down the scientist to see if they are doing trials etc. It's a shame we live in this so called great country the USA and our govt won't let stem cell treatment be provided. So much for the land of the free!! In the meantime, there are several support groups to assist in coping with hearing loss and it's side effects. Let me know if you need any more information. Keep us posted on your findings!

Hey Cynthia,
Thank you! I feel very strong about stem cells treating not only hearing loss, but other health issues as well, so I'm glad to become a member here. Also thank you for this information. I am still doing a lot of research about a lot of this. It takes a lot of work and all seems very secretive, but I guess that's only because we're here in America, of course! I definitely agree with you there, it is such a shame America is sooo far behind.I just wish I could get my hearing back. I feel so lost not being able to hear anymore, especially when I use to. I've been emailing a lot of stem cell clinics to see if they are doing anything for hearing loss yet, but only a few have responded back to me so far, saying they are not yet accepting patients. I did contact RNL asking if they could help me because my case seems to be very similar to Chloe's as well. They said they need to see my medical records first then go from there. The only thing I'm not too sure about yet is their cost. It is very expensive, but my family is willing to all help me out as much as possible. They also sent me her audiograms of before and after the treatments, and they look amazing. I was very impressed. Anyways, that's about where I'm at as of now. Again thank you and I will keep you updated!

[Mary-Anne]

Hey I am new here too, and am, like you can read in my introduction, in the same boat as you two. I realy hope for a cure to deafness/hearing loss, and I hope I don't have to wait until I'm 95 or so ... What do you think? Have you heard of anyone treated with stem cells.? Deafdude wanted to have a treatment 2011 so what happened to him? I really think stem cells are the future of medicine rather than treating everything witrh drugs that only mask the symptoms!

I did not quite understand the Ask the doctor from Feb. Did hey say the are testing and getting results? Or that he thinks it is at least possible?

[Mary-Anne]

Is it possible to cure NIHL through an stem cell injection? In theory? I am really afraid and hopeless...I want this soo much!

[barbara]

There is a slight possibility that one might regain some hearing, but too little is known yet about treating hearing loss with stem cells. There is some anecdotal information - one patient being treated for MS was said to have recovered their hearing. Another reported regaining some hearing after an anti-aging treatment. I do not believe there is a solid, scientific evidence at this point that hearing can be restored with stem cell therapy. That doesn't mean it can't, there just isn't any data available or studies that would indicate that it has. If anyone knows of any peer reviewed articles or clinicals, please post.

[Mary-Anne]

Well..I cannot find it now, but I read an article about a swiss scientist who said he managed to grow functional hair cells from cells of a dead person who died recently. I thought that maybe some day you could get an implant of hair cells that would allow you to hear again? I beleive the best known doctors in this field are Dr. Heller and Dr. Senn...I wish them all the best.

[barbara]

This isn't a stem cell solution, but I thought it sounded promising.

Abstract:
For millions of people hearing disorders make a negative impact on their lives. Scientists are looking into new ways of treating hearing disorders, by using different sorts of nanoparticles as original inner ear delivery devices. Their hope is that nanoparticles will be able to deliver drugs that can improve or restore hearing.

Nanoparticle therapeutics might help people suffering from hearing disorders

Italy | Posted on June 13th, 2011
Due to different anatomic and physiological barriers it is hard to treat hearing disorders by using conventional systemic drug delivery. Therefore scientists are investigating different ways to locally apply drugs using nanoparticles. Researchers at Guangdong Pharmaceutical University in China highlight that several nanoparticles have a combination of properties, such as target specificity, stability in vivo, biocompatibility and capacity to incorporate the encapsulated drugs into the cell, making it possible to use smaller doses and reduce the side effects of therapeutic agents. They anticipate that nanoparticles will play an extremely important role in the development of drug delivery systems, which can find the desired target sites and release the drugs in a controlled way within the cell.

In the European Commission-funded project NANOEAR, scientists from several countries in Europe are studying where different nanoparticles go within the inner ear and if these nanoparticles could be harmful or useful in therapeutics. They are currently testing eight nanoparticle classes, for example, biodegradable liposomes, micelles and lipid-core nanocapsules, regarding their delivery of genes, peptides, corticosteroids, siRNA and shRNA. Since nanoparticles also have properties that separate them, the researchers need to find the best carrier for each drug.

The project‚s researchers are working on nanoparticles targeted towards hair cells, neurons and supporting cells. They have identified fundamental peptides helping the nanoparticles to avoid being trapped and dysfunctionalized by the lysosomal enzymes in the cell‚s endosome system, so the nanoparticles are able to deliver the therapeutic drugs to their targets. Nanoparticles can be modified with coatings to escape immune responses. Three of NANOEAR‚s partners are focusing on safety and they have not observed any adverse reactions.

Within the consortium, researchers at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria studied nanoparticles conjugated with a neurotrophin-derived peptide ligand. They found that these nanoparticles selectively targeted the mouse inner ear cells and can potentially be used as inner ear drug delivery devices.

Many research projects are in the early stage development. There will be rigorous controls and take years until patients may be helped by the innovations. However, if the researchers manage to make these nanoparticles do exactly what they are made to do, nanoparticle therapeutics will radically change the way hearing disorders are treated.

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[Mary-Anne]

This sounds good, but are there even drugs that could restore hearing if they were delivered right into the ear? I don`t know.. And I would need this more than ever right now =(