Mutations in the connexin26 (Cx26) gene are not only a major cause of nonsyndromic deafness, but can also cause syndromic forms of hearing loss that are associated with palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK, i.e., Vohwinkel's syndrome). It is not clear how two very distinct pathologies can arise from different mutations within the same connexin gene. This review summarizes the available data on wildtyp...

OBJECTIVE To perform comprehensive network and pathway analyses of the genes known to cause genetic hearing loss. STUDY DESIGN In silico analysis of deafness genes using ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). METHODS Genes relevant for hearing and deafness were identified through PubMed literature searches and the Hereditary Hearing Loss Homepage. The genes were assembled into 3 groups: 63 genes...

Deafness is a partial or total hearing loss that can appear at any ages and with different degrees of severity. About 50% of hearing disorders have a genetic origin, and among them, the nonsyndromic sensorineural deafness represents 70% of the cases. Out of these, the 80% correspond to autosomal recessive inheritance deafness. Autosomal recessive deafness has not been characterized enough at mo...

BACKGROUND Earlier studies have mapped the autosomal recessive nonsyndromic deafness locus, DFNB15, to chromosomes 3q21.3-q25.2 and 19p13.3-13.1, identifying one of these chromosomal regions (or possibly both) as the site of a deafness-causing gene. Mutations in unconventional myosins cause deafness in mice and humans. One unconventional myosin, myosin 1F (MYO1F), is expressed in the cochlea an...

OBJECTIVES To identify mutations in the SLC26A4 gene in individuals with nonsyndromic hearing loss and enlarged vestibular aqueduct, to design a predicted model of the pendrin protein, and to characterize novel mutations by means of localization in mammalian cells and effect of the mutation on the predicted model. DESIGN Validation of the mutation by its exclusion in more than 300 individuals...

BACKGROUND The common GJB2 gene mutation (35delG) has been previously reported from Iranian patients that were affected with nonsyndromic autosomal recessive deafness. We, therefore, for the first time, investigated the prevalence and frequency of the GJB2 gene mutation in the Iranian deaf population with Arabian origins. MATERIALS AND METHODS We amplified and sequenced the entire coding sequ...

Summary Inherited ichthyoses are a group of genodermatoses classified as either nonsyndromic or syndromic. Nonsyndromic and keratitis, ichthyosis deafness (KID) syndrome predispose to fungal infection. The diagnosis treatment infections underlying challenging. In this review, we summarize reported cases with infection over the past 50 years. Atypical manifestations such alopecia, papules brittl...

The mutation spectrum of deafness genes may vary in different ethnical groups. In this study, we investigated the genetic etiology of nonsyndromic deafness in four consanguineous and two multiplex Uyghur families in which mutations in common deafness genes GJB2, SLC26A4 and MT-RNR1 were excluded. Targeted next-generation sequencing of 97 deafness genes was performed in the probands of each fami...

We report here the biochemical characterization of the deafness-associated mitochondrial tRNA(Ser(UCN)) T7511C mutation, in conjunction with homoplasmic ND1 T3308C and tRNA(Ala) T5655C mutations using cybrids constructed by transferring mitochondria from lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from an African family into human mtDNA-less (rho degrees ) cells. Three cybrids derived from an affected ma...