Otitis media (OM), one of the most common human diseases, is affected by multiple factors including Eustachian tube (ET), immune status, innate mucosal defense, pathogens, and genetic susceptibility. The mouse is the premier animal model for human disease research, and mouse models of OM represent powerful tools for advancing the understanding of OM. The broad, long-term objectives of this research are: to identify novel genes and/or novel functions of known genes that underlie OM susceptibility using a functional genomic and phenotyping driven approach and to develop innovative treatment strategies for human OM using genetic mouse models. The immediate goals are to identify, develop, and characterize genetic mouse models for OM by utilizing the unique mouse genetic and mutant resources at The Jackson Laboratory (TJL). TJL maintains more than 2,500 strains of mice, including inbred mice, mice with spontaneous mutations, and genetically engineered mice. Moreover, two large-scale mutagenesis programs at TJL are generating more than 1,000 mutagenized mice every month. Collectively, these valuable genetic resources offer an exceptional opportunity for the identification of new mouse models of OM. To provide the hearing research community with new models for the study of OM, we will:
Aim 1. Develop techniques for diagnosis of OM in the mouse. We will focus on the adaptation of clinical tympanometry (tymp) and video-otoscopy (v-oto) techniques for the analysis of mice. We will test the sensitivity and specificity of these two tools in the mice by matched pathological studies of several potential or known genetic mouse models of OM.
Aim 2. Test the hypothesis that heritable host traits influence OM development by identifying and characterizing genetic mouse models of OM. We will perform a two-level screening of mice at TJL for OM susceptibilities and then carry out heritability testing to identify genetic mouse models. The screening strategy comprises a primary screen for elevated auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds and vestibular deficits (head tilting and circling), followed by a secondary screen of identified mice using our techniques developed in Aim 1 for the characterization of middle ear (ME) structure and function.
Aim 3. Develop a pathogen-challenge methodology to evaluate genetic mouse models of OM identified in aim 2 by comparing their pathogen-challenge responses with those of controls.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21DC005846-03
Application #
6893991
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDC1-SRB-A (40))
Program Officer
Watson, Bracie
Project Start
2003-07-01
Project End
2006-01-31
Budget Start
2005-07-01
Budget End
2006-01-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$105,257
Indirect Cost
Name
Jackson Laboratory
Department
Type
DUNS #
042140483
City
Bar Harbor
State
ME
Country
United States
Zip Code
04609
Lin, Jizhen; Hafrén, Lena; Kerschner, Joseph et al. (2017) Panel 3: Genetics and Precision Medicine of Otitis Media. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 156:S41-S50
Hu, J; Xu, M; Yuan, J et al. (2016) Tauroursodeoxycholic acid prevents hearing loss and hair cell death in Cdh23(erl/erl) mice. Neuroscience 316:311-20
Zhang, Xiaolin; Zheng, Tihua; Sang, Lu et al. (2015) Otitis media induced by peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PGPS) in TLR2-deficient (Tlr2(-/-)) mice for developing drug therapy. Infect Genet Evol 35:194-203
Zhang, Jin; Xu, Min; Zheng, Qingyin et al. (2014) Blocking macrophage migration inhibitory factor activity alleviates mouse acute otitis media in vivo. Immunol Lett 162:101-8
Zhu, P; Lin, Y; Lin, H et al. (2014) Computational fluid dynamics analysis of salivary flow and its effect on sialolithogenesis. Oral Dis 20:624-30
Sheykholeslami, Kianoush; Thimmappa, Vikrum; Nava, Casey et al. (2013) A new mutation of the Atoh1 gene in mice with normal life span allows analysis of inner ear and cerebellar phenotype in aging. PLoS One 8:e79791
Zhang, Yan; Yu, Heping; Xu, Min et al. (2012) Pathological features in the LmnaDhe/+ mutant mouse provide a novel model of human otitis media and laminopathies. Am J Pathol 181:761-74
Tian, Cong; Yu, Heping; Yang, Bin et al. (2012) Otitis media in a new mouse model for CHARGE syndrome with a deletion in the Chd7 gene. PLoS One 7:e34944
Huang, Qiuhong; Zhang, Zhigang; Zheng, Yiqing et al. (2012) Hypoxia-inducible factor and vascular endothelial growth factor pathway for the study of hypoxia in a new model of otitis media with effusion. Audiol Neurootol 17:349-56
Han, Fengchan; Yu, Heping; Li, Ping et al. (2012) Mutation in Phex gene predisposes BALB/c-Phex(Hyp-Duk)/Y mice to otitis media. PLoS One 7:e43010

Showing the most recent 10 out of 30 publications