Restoring Hearing by Reactivating Spns2 in Mice

Researchers at King’s College London achieved a remarkable reversal of hearing loss in mice by reactivating the Spns2 gene, which had been silenced by a genetic mutation. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, details how serums or enzymes designed to switch the gene back on were administered to mice carrying the inactive Spns2 mutation. Following treatment, the subjects showed measurable improvements in auditory function, demonstrating that certain inner ear deficits can be corrected after a period of decline. Importantly, the strongest improvements occurred when the intervention happened at a younger developmental stage, underscoring a potential window of opportunity for effective therapy in humans as well as animals. These findings challenge the conventional view that some forms of degenerative hearing loss are irreversible and highlight the potential for gene-targeted strategies to restore neural and sensory function in the inner ear.