ABR threshold averages for each frequency measured before (continuous line) and 96 h after (dashed line) cisplatin treatment.

<p>The letters A-F indicate the treatment group described in the Materials and Methods section. ABR thresholds are expressed in dB SPL ± standard deviation. **: t test p-value<0.01; ***: t test p-value<0.001.</p

ABR threshold averages, expressed as sound pressure level decibel (dB SPL) at day 0.

<p>ABR threshold averages, expressed as sound pressure level decibel (dB SPL) at day 0.</p

ABR threshold shifts for each treatment group (A-F) at different frequencies.

<p>ABR thresholds are expressed in dB ± standard deviation. ANOVA p-value significance in all groups of treated animals versus untreated controls (A): ● <0.05; ●● <0.01; ●●● <0.001; ANOVA p-value significance between groups untreated and treated with Acu-Qter (A and B, C and D, E and F): <b>***</b> <0.001.</p

Cisplatin toxicity expressed as mortality ratio and weight variations.

<p>Cisplatin toxicity expressed as mortality ratio and weight variations.</p

Data_Sheet_2_Novel POU3F4 variants identified in patients with inner ear malformations exhibit aberrant cellular distribution and lack of SLC6A20 transcriptional upregulation.xlsx

Hearing loss (HL) is the most common sensory defect and affects 450 million people worldwide in a disabling form. Pathogenic sequence alterations in the POU3F4 gene, which encodes a transcription factor, are causative of the most common type of X-linked deafness (X-linked deafness type 3, DFN3, DFNX2). POU3F4-related deafness is characterized by a typical inner ear malformation, namely an incomplete partition of the cochlea type 3 (IP3), with or without an enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct (EVA). The pathomechanism underlying POU3F4-related deafness and the corresponding transcriptional targets are largely uncharacterized. Two male patients belonging to a Caucasian cohort with HL and EVA who presented with an IP3 were submitted to genetic analysis. Two novel sequence variants in POU3F4 were identified by Sanger sequencing. In cell-based assays, the corresponding protein variants (p.S74Afs*8 and p.C327*) showed an aberrant expression and subcellular distribution and lack of transcriptional activity. These two protein variants failed to upregulate the transcript levels of the amino acid transporter gene SLC6A20, which was identified as a novel transcriptional target of POU3F4 by RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR. Accordingly, POU3F4 silencing by siRNA resulted in downregulation of SLC6A20 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Moreover, we showed for the first time that SLC6A20 is expressed in the mouse cochlea, and co-localized with POU3F4 in the spiral ligament. The findings presented here point to a novel role of amino acid transporters in the inner ear and pave the way for mechanistic studies of POU3F4-related HL.</p

Image_1_Novel POU3F4 variants identified in patients with inner ear malformations exhibit aberrant cellular distribution and lack of SLC6A20 transcriptional upregulation.tif

Hearing loss (HL) is the most common sensory defect and affects 450 million people worldwide in a disabling form. Pathogenic sequence alterations in the POU3F4 gene, which encodes a transcription factor, are causative of the most common type of X-linked deafness (X-linked deafness type 3, DFN3, DFNX2). POU3F4-related deafness is characterized by a typical inner ear malformation, namely an incomplete partition of the cochlea type 3 (IP3), with or without an enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct (EVA). The pathomechanism underlying POU3F4-related deafness and the corresponding transcriptional targets are largely uncharacterized. Two male patients belonging to a Caucasian cohort with HL and EVA who presented with an IP3 were submitted to genetic analysis. Two novel sequence variants in POU3F4 were identified by Sanger sequencing. In cell-based assays, the corresponding protein variants (p.S74Afs*8 and p.C327*) showed an aberrant expression and subcellular distribution and lack of transcriptional activity. These two protein variants failed to upregulate the transcript levels of the amino acid transporter gene SLC6A20, which was identified as a novel transcriptional target of POU3F4 by RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR. Accordingly, POU3F4 silencing by siRNA resulted in downregulation of SLC6A20 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Moreover, we showed for the first time that SLC6A20 is expressed in the mouse cochlea, and co-localized with POU3F4 in the spiral ligament. The findings presented here point to a novel role of amino acid transporters in the inner ear and pave the way for mechanistic studies of POU3F4-related HL.</p

Data_Sheet_1_Novel POU3F4 variants identified in patients with inner ear malformations exhibit aberrant cellular distribution and lack of SLC6A20 transcriptional upregulation.docx

Hearing loss (HL) is the most common sensory defect and affects 450 million people worldwide in a disabling form. Pathogenic sequence alterations in the POU3F4 gene, which encodes a transcription factor, are causative of the most common type of X-linked deafness (X-linked deafness type 3, DFN3, DFNX2). POU3F4-related deafness is characterized by a typical inner ear malformation, namely an incomplete partition of the cochlea type 3 (IP3), with or without an enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct (EVA). The pathomechanism underlying POU3F4-related deafness and the corresponding transcriptional targets are largely uncharacterized. Two male patients belonging to a Caucasian cohort with HL and EVA who presented with an IP3 were submitted to genetic analysis. Two novel sequence variants in POU3F4 were identified by Sanger sequencing. In cell-based assays, the corresponding protein variants (p.S74Afs*8 and p.C327*) showed an aberrant expression and subcellular distribution and lack of transcriptional activity. These two protein variants failed to upregulate the transcript levels of the amino acid transporter gene SLC6A20, which was identified as a novel transcriptional target of POU3F4 by RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR. Accordingly, POU3F4 silencing by siRNA resulted in downregulation of SLC6A20 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Moreover, we showed for the first time that SLC6A20 is expressed in the mouse cochlea, and co-localized with POU3F4 in the spiral ligament. The findings presented here point to a novel role of amino acid transporters in the inner ear and pave the way for mechanistic studies of POU3F4-related HL.</p

Image_2_Novel POU3F4 variants identified in patients with inner ear malformations exhibit aberrant cellular distribution and lack of SLC6A20 transcriptional upregulation.tif

Hearing loss (HL) is the most common sensory defect and affects 450 million people worldwide in a disabling form. Pathogenic sequence alterations in the POU3F4 gene, which encodes a transcription factor, are causative of the most common type of X-linked deafness (X-linked deafness type 3, DFN3, DFNX2). POU3F4-related deafness is characterized by a typical inner ear malformation, namely an incomplete partition of the cochlea type 3 (IP3), with or without an enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct (EVA). The pathomechanism underlying POU3F4-related deafness and the corresponding transcriptional targets are largely uncharacterized. Two male patients belonging to a Caucasian cohort with HL and EVA who presented with an IP3 were submitted to genetic analysis. Two novel sequence variants in POU3F4 were identified by Sanger sequencing. In cell-based assays, the corresponding protein variants (p.S74Afs*8 and p.C327*) showed an aberrant expression and subcellular distribution and lack of transcriptional activity. These two protein variants failed to upregulate the transcript levels of the amino acid transporter gene SLC6A20, which was identified as a novel transcriptional target of POU3F4 by RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR. Accordingly, POU3F4 silencing by siRNA resulted in downregulation of SLC6A20 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Moreover, we showed for the first time that SLC6A20 is expressed in the mouse cochlea, and co-localized with POU3F4 in the spiral ligament. The findings presented here point to a novel role of amino acid transporters in the inner ear and pave the way for mechanistic studies of POU3F4-related HL.</p

Spectral Maps.

<p>a) Group statistical spectral scalp maps (N = 6) computed, separately for Captains (second and fourth columns) and First Officers (first and third columns), for each of the three flight phases (takeoff, cruise and landing) in the theta and alpha EEG bands. Rendering of the scalp model is viewed from the above (nose pointing downward). The color of each pixel codes for the t-value achieved, for the related electrode, by comparing the spectral activity elicited during each flight phase with respect to the taxi phase (color scale on the right). All of the t-values below the statistical threshold are reported in grey.</p

Inter-areas Links.

<p>Bar diagrams reporting the density of connections exchanged between brain macro-areas of the two crew members in the theta (panel a) and alpha (panel b) bands during takeoff (dark grey) and landing (light grey). The inter-areas links density reported here link frontal (FF), central (CC), and parietal (PP) areas of both pilots, as well as crossed connections linking frontal and central (FC), frontal and parietal (FP), and central and parietal (CP) brain areas. The symbol (*) indicates a statistical difference between the takeoff and landing phases (paired t-test, p<0.05).</p