Pharmaceutical composition containing mitochondria as active ingredient for preventing or treating hereditary hearing impairment

The pharmaceutical composition using separated mitochondria addresses the mitochondrial dysfunction in hereditary hearing loss by enhancing mitochondrial activity and reducing cytotoxicity, offering a potential treatment for this condition.

WO2025095735A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-05-08SEOUL NAT UNIV HOSPITAL +1
View PDF 4 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/KR2024/017205
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-11-03
Filing Date
2024-11-04
Publication Date
2025-05-08

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Hereditary hearing loss, particularly caused by genetic mutations in the BCAP31 gene and mitochondrial dysfunction, lacks effective pharmaceutical treatments that address the underlying mitochondrial activity and toxicity issues.

Method used

A pharmaceutical composition containing separated mitochondria is developed as an active ingredient to prevent or treat hereditary hearing loss. This composition includes stem cell-derived mitochondria that are administered to patients, aiming to increase mitochondrial activity and reduce cytotoxicity.

Benefits of technology

The use of separated mitochondria in the pharmaceutical composition significantly increases mitochondrial activity and reduces cytotoxicity in patients with hereditary hearing loss, potentially restoring mitochondrial function and alleviating hearing loss symptoms.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure KR2024017205_08052025_PF_FP_ABST
    Figure KR2024017205_08052025_PF_FP_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

In the present invention process, the inventors have confirmed that the intracellular ATP and mitochondrial membrane potentials of cells isolated from hearing-impaired patients having mutations in the BCAP31 gene are significantly lower than those of normal persons. The finding indicates that the hearing-impaired patients having mutations in the BCAP31 gene have significantly lower-functioning mitochondria. In addition, susceptibility to cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity has also been confirmed to increase. On the other hand, treating lymphoid cell lines of the hearing-impaired patients with isolated mitochondria derived from stem cells has been confirmed to increase the activity of intracellular mitochondria and reduce cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the functioning of intracellular mitochondria has also been confirmed to recover when the isolated mitochondria derived from stem cells were applied to lymphocyte cell lines derived from hearing-impaired patients having mutations in the ferredoxin reductase (FDXR) gene, and fibroblasts derived from hearing-impaired patients having mitochondrial gene mutation (m.A1555G). Therefore, the mitochondria according to the present invention can effectively alleviate or treat hereditary hearing impairment.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss containing mitochondria as an active ingredient

[0001] The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss disease, which contains mitochondria as an active ingredient.

[0002] The ear is classified as the outer ear, which includes the auricle and the external auditory canal; the middle ear, which includes the eardrum and ossicles; and the inner ear, which includes the cochlea and the auditory nerve. Sound is acoustic energy that is transmitted through the auricle and the external auditory canal, causing the eardrum to vibrate. The vibration of the eardrum generates mechanical energy that is transmitted to the ossicles. The last bone of the ossicles, the stapes, is connected to the cochlea and transfers the transmitted energy to the lymph within the cochlea. The energy transmitted to the lymph generates waves in the lymph, and these waves stimulate the hair cells within the cochlea. The movement of the hair cells causes ionic changes, which transmit neurotransmitters to the auditory nerve attached to the hair cells, and the sound energy is transmitted from the auditory nerve to the brain in the form of electrical energy.

[0003] Hearing loss is the most common sensorineural disorder, occurring in approximately 1 in 1,000 newborns. Hearing loss is broadly divided into hereditary and non-hereditary hearing loss, of which more than 50% are hereditary. Hereditary hearing loss is further classified into syndromic and non-syndromic hearing loss, of which 30% are syndromic hearing loss with multiple symptoms, and the remaining 70% are non-syndromic hearing loss with no other symptoms in addition to hearing loss. In the case of non-syndromic hearing loss, autosomal recessive inheritance accounts for approximately 80%, autosomal dominant inheritance accounts for approximately 15-20%, and the remaining less than 2% are caused by genes located on the X chromosome and mitochondria (Nance et al., Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev, 9:109-119 (2003)).

[0004] Mitochondria are essential organelles for the survival of eukaryotic cells, involved in the synthesis and regulation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondria are crucial organelles involved in various metabolic pathways within the body, including cell signaling, cell differentiation, apoptosis, and the control of the cell cycle and growth. However, the potential association of pharmaceutical compositions containing mitochondria as active ingredients with the treatment of hereditary hearing loss has not been studied.

[0005] Accordingly, the inventors of the present invention completed the present invention by conducting research for the treatment of hearing loss and confirming that isolated mitochondria increase mitochondrial activity of a lymphocyte cell line derived from a hearing loss patient and reduce cytotoxicity caused by cisplatin.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, one aspect of the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss disease, which comprises isolated mitochondria as an active ingredient.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention provides a diagnostic kit for hereditary hearing loss disease, a diagnostic composition and a diagnostic method using the same, comprising a polynucleotide comprising a continuous nucleotide sequence selected from the nucleotide sequence of an exon region of a BCAP31 gene or a complementary polynucleotide thereof for detecting a c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCAP31 gene.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention provides a biomarker for diagnosing hereditary hearing loss disease of the BCAP31 gene comprising a c.397_398insGAG mutation.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention provides a use of the isolated mitochondria for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss diseases.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for preventing or treating a hereditary hearing loss disease comprising administering the isolated mitochondria to a subject.

[0011] In the present invention, it was confirmed that the intracellular ATP and mitochondrial membrane potential of cells isolated from hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 gene mutations were significantly lower than those of normal subjects. This indicates that the mitochondrial function of hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 gene mutations is significantly impaired. In addition, it was confirmed that they were more sensitive to cytotoxicity caused by cisplatin. On the other hand, when the lymphoid cell line of the hearing-impaired patient was treated with isolated mitochondria derived from stem cells, it was confirmed that the intracellular mitochondrial activity increased and the cytotoxicity caused by cisplatin treatment was reduced. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the function of the mitochondria in the cells was restored when the isolated mitochondria derived from stem cells were treated with lymphocyte cell lines derived from hearing-impaired patients with a ferredoxin reductase (FDXR) gene mutation and fibroblasts derived from hearing-impaired patients with a mitochondrial gene mutation (m.A1555G). Therefore, the mitochondria of the present invention can effectively alleviate or treat hereditary hearing-impaired diseases.

[0012] Figure 1 is a pedigree diagram showing the results of confirming a mutation (c.397_398insGAG;p.Asp132_Ala133insGly) in the BCAP31 gene in a patient with non-syndromic hearing loss.

[0013] Figure 2 is a sequence chromatogram showing the results of comparing the BCAP31 gene sequences of a normal person and a hearing-impaired patient with a BCAP31 gene mutation within a family member with non-syndromic hearing loss.

[0014] Figure 3 is a graph showing the results of measuring the pure tone audiogram of a proband of a hearing-impaired patient with a BCAP31 gene mutation.

[0015] Figures 4a and 4b are graphs comparing intracellular ATP (Figure 4a) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) (Figure 4b) of lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) from normal individuals (C1, C2) and hearing-impaired patients (PB-1, PB-2) with BCAP31 gene mutations, respectively. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 vs. C1.

[0016] Figure 5 is a graph showing the results of confirming apoptosis induced by cisplatin treatment in lymphoid cell lines from normal individuals (C1) and hearing-impaired patients (PB-1, PB-2) with BCAP31 gene mutations using annexin / PI staining. *p<0.05, **p<0.01 vs. C1

[0017] Figure 6 is a drawing showing an experimental method for confirming the intracellular transfer ability of mitochondria according to the present invention (left) and the results of confirming mitochondria transferred to a lymphoid cell line (right).

[0018] Figures 7a and 7b are graphs showing the results of comparing the intracellular ATP levels (Figure 7a) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) (Figure 7b) after treating the mitochondria (PN-101) of the present invention to lymphoid cell lines of a normal person (C1) and hearing-impaired patients (PB-1, PB-2) with BCAP31 gene mutations, respectively. *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 vs. C1; #p<0.05, ###p<0.001 vs. cisplatin.

[0019] Figure 8 is a graph showing the results of confirming the degree of cell death using annexin / PI staining after treating cisplatin and the mitochondria (PN-101) of the present invention in lymphoid cell lines from normal individuals (C1) and hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 gene mutations (PB-1, PB-2). ***p<0.001 vs C1; #p<0.05, ###p<0.001 vs cisplatin.

[0020] Figures 9a and 9b are drawings (Figure 9a) showing the expression of cyt C in the cytoplasm confirmed through Western blot in lymphoid cell lines of a normal person (C1) and hearing-impaired patients (PB-1, PB-2) with a BCAP31 gene mutation, respectively, after cisplatin treatment and treatment with mitochondria (PN-101) of the present invention, and a graph (Figure 9b) showing the quantification of the results.

[0021] Figures 10a and 10b are graphs showing the results of comparing the intracellular ATP level (Figure 10a) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) (Figure 10b) after treating mitochondria (PN-101) of the present invention in a lymphoid cell line (PB-3) derived from a hearing-impaired patient with a ferredoxin reductase (FDXR) gene mutation. *p<0.05, ***p<0.001 vs C1; ###p<0.001 vs PB-3 untreated group.

[0022] Figure 11 is a graph showing the results of measuring the intracellular ATP concentration after treating fibroblast cell lines (PB-4, PB-5) derived from patients with the m.A1555G mitochondrial mutation with the mitochondria (PN-101) of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 12 shows MT in the cochlea isolated from the mouse. dsRED After processing for 1 hour, 4 hours, and 24 hours, MT was analyzed through tissue immunostaining. dsRED This is a diagram showing the results of confirming the location within the organization.

[0024] Pharmaceutical composition

[0025] One aspect of the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, comprising isolated mitochondria as an active ingredient.

[0026] As used herein, the term "mitochondria" refers to double-membrane-bound organelles found in most eukaryotic organisms and produce most of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the cell.

[0027] As used herein, the term "isolated mitochondria" refers to mitochondria obtained from an autologous, allogeneic or xenogeneic source.

[0028] As used herein, the term "autologous mitochondria" refers to mitochondria obtained from the plasma, tissue, bone marrow, or cells of the same individual. Furthermore, the term "allogeneic mitochondria" refers to mitochondria obtained from the plasma, tissue, bone marrow, platelets, or cells of an individual of the same species as the individual but having a different genotype with respect to an allele. Furthermore, the term "heterologous mitochondria" refers to mitochondria obtained from the plasma, tissue, bone marrow, or cells of an individual of a different species from the individual.

[0029] At this time, the subject may be a mammal, and preferably a human.

[0030] The mitochondria may be isolated from cells of the subject. The mitochondria may be obtained from autologous or allogeneic cells cultured in vitro. In this case, the cells may have normal biological activity.

[0031] The term "cell" as used herein refers to a structural or functional unit that constitutes a living organism, consisting of cytoplasm surrounded by a cell membrane, and containing biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. The cell refers to a cell that contains mitochondria within the cell membrane.

[0032] Additionally, the mitochondria may be separated and used after concentrating and crushing tissue or cells, or may be separated and crushed from a tissue or cell sample that has been frozen and then thawed.

[0033] The mitochondria may be in an intact form, a fragmented form, or a combination thereof. In one specific example, the mitochondria may exhibit a pharmacological effect even in a fragmented form if they retain mitochondrial activity.

[0034] In one specific example, the cell may be any one selected from the group consisting of stem cells, somatic cells, germ cells, and platelets.

[0035] As used herein, the term "stem cell" refers to an undifferentiated cell capable of differentiating into various types of tissue cells. The stem cell may be any one selected from the group consisting of mesenchymal stem cells, adult stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, embryonic stem cells, bone marrow stem cells, neural stem cells, and tissue-derived stem cells.

[0036] At this time, the mesenchymal stem cells may be any one selected from the group consisting of umbilical cord, umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, fat, muscle, nerve, skin, amniotic membrane, and placenta. Preferably, they may be derived from human umbilical cord.

[0037] As used herein, the term "somatic cell" refers to a cell excluding germ cells among the cells constituting an organism. The somatic cell may be one selected from the group consisting of muscle cells, hepatocytes, fibroblasts, epithelial cells, nerve cells, adipocytes, osteocytes, periosteal cells, leukocytes, lymphocytes, and mucosal cells. Preferably, the somatic cell may be obtained from muscle cells or hepatocytes with excellent mitochondrial activity. In addition, the somatic cell may be obtained from autologous or allogeneic blood PBMC cells.

[0038] As used herein, the term "germ cell" refers to a cell that forms a zygote during reproduction in a sexually reproducing organism. The mitochondria may be obtained from autologous or allogeneic gametes. The gametes may be sperm or eggs.

[0039] As used herein, the term "platelet" refers to a solid component of blood that plays a crucial role in blood clotting by binding fibrin and forming a clot. The mitochondria may be obtained from autologous or allogeneic platelets.

[0040] Additionally, the isolated mitochondria may have normal biological activity. Specifically, the mitochondria having normal biological activity may have one or more characteristics from the group consisting of (i) having a membrane potential, (ii) generating ATP within the mitochondria, and (iii) removing ROS or reducing the activity of ROS within the mitochondria.

[0041] The term "hearing loss" as used herein refers to a disease that causes hearing impairment or loss. Hearing loss can be categorized as conductive or sensorineural hearing loss depending on the structure of the auditory organ. Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound cannot reach the cochlea due to a malformation of the external auditory canal, abnormalities in the eardrum or ossicles, etc. On the other hand, sensorineural hearing loss occurs due to a malfunction in the cochlea or an abnormality in the auditory nerve or central nervous system that transmits auditory stimuli to the brain.

[0042] Furthermore, depending on the time of onset, hearing loss can be categorized as congenital (present at birth) or acquired (postnatal), or as prelingual or postlingual. These can then be further classified into hereditary and non-hereditary hearing loss, depending on whether or not the cause is inherited. Approximately 50% of congenital hearing loss is hereditary.

[0043] The term "genetic hearing loss" used herein refers to genetic hearing loss that can be broadly divided into syndromic and non-syndromic. Syndromic hearing loss refers to hearing loss that occurs in approximately 300 types of syndromes registered in OMIM to date. Non-syndromic hearing loss is usually known to be caused by a single gene abnormality. Genetic hearing loss follows various inheritance patterns. Autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, sex-linked, mitochondrial, and recently, digenic inheritance due to mutations in two hearing genes has been reported. Most genetic hearing loss (approximately 70%) is non-syndromic, and more than 75% of these non-syndromic hearing loss cases show autosomal recessive inheritance. 12-24% are inherited through autosomal dominant, 1-3% through X-linked, and some through mitochondrial genes.

[0044] In the present invention, the hereditary hearing loss may include a mutation in an autosome or sex chromosome.

[0045] Specifically, the hereditary hearing loss may include mutations in the BCAP31, ferredoxin reductase (FDRX), HDIA1, GJB3, KCNQ4, GJB2, GJB6, DFNA5, TECTA, COCH, EYA4, MYO7A, COL11A2, MYO15, TMPRSS3, OTOF, DFNB9 or DDP genes.

[0046] Additionally, the hereditary hearing loss may include genetic mutations associated with Pendred syndrome, Usher syndrome, Branchio-oto-renal syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, Alport syndrome, Treacher collins syndrome, Stapes fixation / Gusher (DFN3) or Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome.

[0047] In one specific example, the hereditary hearing loss in the present invention may include a mutation in the BCAP31 gene. In this case, the mutation in the BCAP31 gene may be inherited in an X-linked recessive manner.

[0048] The term "BCAP31 (B-cell receptor-associated protein 31)" or "BAP31" used herein is a protein that binds to the ER membrane and is involved in the transport of proteins secreted from the ER, protein folding quality control, and caspase-8 dependence. It is known that dysfunction of BCAP31 is associated with various diseases including tinnitus, paroxysmal movement disorder, DDCH syndrome (DDCH), cancer, metabolic syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and neurodegenerative diseases. In the present invention, the BCAP31 may include a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4. The BCAP31 may include an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5. The nucleic acid sequence and amino acid sequence are shown in Table 1.

[0049] 구분서열서열번호BCAP31 cDNA서열ATGGGTGCCGAGGCGTCCTCCTCTTGGTGCCCTGGCACTGCTCTTCCCGAAGAACGCCTTTCAGTTAAACGGGCGTCGGAAATCTCGGGCTTCCTGGGGCAGGGATCGTCGGGAGAGGCCGCTCTGGACGTGTTGACACACGTGCTGGAGGGGGCAGGAAACAAGCTCACATCTTCCTGTGGGAAACCTTCTAGCAACAGGATGAGTCTGCAGTGGACTGCAGTTGCCACCTTCCTCTATGCGGAGGTCTTTGTTGTGTTGCTTCTCTGCATTCCCTTCATTTCTCCTAAAAGATGGCAGAAGATTTTCAAGTCCCGGCTGGTGGAGTTGTTAGTGTCCTATGGCAACACCTTCTTTGTGGTTCTCATTGTCATCCTTGTGCTGTTGGTCATCGATGCCGTGCGCGAAATTCGGAAGTATGATGATGTGACGGAAAAGGTGAACCTCCAGAACAATCCCGGGGCCATGGAGCACTTCCACATGAAGCTTTTCCGTGCCCAGAGGAATCTCTACATTGCTGGCTTTTCCTTGCTGCTGTCCTTCCTGCTTAGACGCCTGGTGACTCTCATTTCGCAGCAGGCCACGCTGCTGGCCTCCAATGAAGCCTTTAAAAAGCAGGCGGAGAGTGCTAGTGAGGCGGCCAAGAAGTACATGGAGGAGAATGACCAGCTCAAGAAGGGAGCTGCTGTTGACGGAGGCAAGTTGGATGTCGGGAATGCTGAGGTGAAGTTGGAGGAAGAGAACAGGAGCCTGAAGGCTGACCTGCAGAAGCTAAAGGACGAGCTGGCCAGCACTAAGCAAAAACTAGAGAAAGCTGAAAACCAGGTTCTGGCCATGCGGAAGCAGTCTGAGGGCCTCACCAAGGAGTACGACCGCTTGCTGGAGGAGCACGCAAAGCTGCAGGCTGCAGTAGATGGTCCCATGGACAAGAAGGAAGAGTAA4BCAP31 아미노산서열MGAEASSSWCPGTALPEERLSVKRASEISGFLGQGSSGEAALDVLTHVLEGAGNKLTSSCGKPSSNRMSLQWTAVATFLYAEVFVVLLLCIPFISPKRWQKIFKSRLVELLVSYGNTFFVVLIVILVLLVIDAVREIRKYDDVTEKVNLQNNPGAMEHFHMKLFRAQRNLYIAGFSLLLSFLLRRLVTLISQQATLLASNEAFKKQAESASEAAKKYMEENDQLKKGAAVDGGKLDVGNAEVKLEEENRSLKADLQKLKDELASTKQKLEKAENQVLAMRKQSEGLTKEYDRLLEEHAKLQAAVDGPMDKKEE5BCAP31 변이 cDNA서열ATGGGTGCCGAGGCGTCCTCCTCTTGGTGCCCTGGCACTGCTCTTCCCGAAGAACGCCTTTCAGTTAAACGGGCGTCGGAAATCTCGGGCTTCCTGGGGCAGGGATCGTCGGGAGAGGCCGCTCTGGACGTGTTGACACACGTGCTGGAGGGGGCAGGAAACAAGCTCACATCTTCCTGTGGGAAACCTTCTAGCAACAGGATGAGTCTGCAGTGGACTGCAGTTGCCACCTTCCTCTATGCGGAGGTCTTTGTTGTGTTGCTTCTCTGCATTCCCTTCATTTCTCCTAAAAGATGGCAGAAGATTTTCAAGTCCCGGCTGGTGGAGTTGTTAGTGTCCTATGGCAACACCTTCTTTGTGGTTCTCATTGTCATCCTTGTGCTGTTGGTCATCGATGGAGCCGTGCGCGAAATTCGGAAGTATGATGATGTGACGGAAAAGGTGAACCTCCAGAACAATCCCGGGGCCATGGAGCACTTCCACATGAAGCTTTTCCGTGCCCAGAGGAATCTCTACATTGCTGGCTTTTCCTTGCTGCTGTCCTTCCTGCTTAGACGCCTGGTGACTCTCATTTCGCAGCAGGCCACGCTGCTGGCCTCCAATGAAGCCTTTAAAAAGCAGGCGGAGAGTGCTAGTGAGGCGGCCAAGAAGTACATGGAGGAGAATGACCAGCTCAAGAAGGGAGCTGCTGTTGACGGAGGCAAGTTGGATGTCGGGAATGCTGAGGTGAAGTTGGAGGAAGAGAACAGGAGCCTGAAGGCTGACCTGCAGAAGCTAAAGGACGAGCTGGCCAGCACTAAGCAAAAACTAGAGAAAGCTGAAAACCAGGTTCTGGCCATGCGGAAGCAGTCTGAGGGCCTCACCAAGGAGTACGACCGCTTGCTGGAGGAGCACGCAAAGCTGCAGGCTGCAGTAGATGGTCCCATGGACAAGAAGGAAGAGTAA6BCAP31 변이아미노산SequenceMGAEASSSWCPGTALPEERLSVKRASEISGFLGQGSSGEAALDVLTHVLEGAGNKLTSSCGKPSSNRMSLQWTAVATFLYAEVFVVLLLCIPFISPKRWQKIFKSRLVELLVSYGNTFFVVLIVILVLLVIDGAVREIRKYDDVTEKVNLQNNPGA MEHFHMKLFRAQRNLYIAGFSLLLSFLLRRLVTLISQQATLLASNEAFKKQAESASEAAKKYMEENDQLKKGAAVDGGKLDVGNAEVKLEEENRSLKADLQKLKDELASTKQKLEKAENQVLAMRKQSEGLTKEYDRLLEEHAKLQAAVDGPMDKKEE7

[0050] In this specification, a normal BCAP31 gene or a wild-type BCAP31 gene may mean one comprising a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and an amino acid sequence of a normal BCAP31 protein or an amino acid sequence of a wild-type BCAP31 protein may mean one comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5. In this case, “normal” or “wild-type” means a typical phenotype found in a species existing in nature, and may be used interchangeably.

[0051] In the present invention, the mutation of the BCAP31 gene may have a mutation in the nucleotide sequence relative to the nucleic acid sequence of the normal BCAP31 gene (the BCAP31 gene of the standard genomic DNA). Specifically, the mutation of the BCAP31 gene may include an insertion, deletion, substitution, or translocation of one or more nucleotide sequences relative to the normal BCAP31 gene.

[0052] The above "insertion" or "deletion" refers to the insertion or deletion of a nucleotide sequence that can change the number of nucleic acids in a gene. The above "translocation" refers to a phenomenon in which a portion of a chromosome is broken, and the fragment binds to another portion of the same chromosome or to another chromosome, thereby changing the shape of the chromosome.

[0053] More specifically, the mutation of the BCAP31 gene in the present invention may include an insertion of three nucleotide sequences relative to the normal BCAP31 gene. Even more specifically, the mutation of the BCAP31 gene may be a mutation in which guanine (G), adenine (A), and guanine (G) are sequentially inserted between the 397th and 398th base sequences of SEQ ID NO: 4. In this case, the mutation of the BCAP31 gene may be a mutation in which glycine (Gly) is inserted between the 132nd amino acid residue and the 133rd amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence of the normal BCAP31 protein (SEQ ID NO: 5). In one embodiment, the mutation of the BCAP31 gene may include the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.

[0054] In another specific example of the present invention, the hereditary hearing loss in the present invention may include a mutation in the ferredoxin reductase (FDXR) gene.

[0055] As used herein, the term "ferredoxin reductase (FDXR)" refers to one of the flavoproteins located in the inner membrane of mitochondria. It is also known as adrenodoxin reductase (ADXR). The FDXR transfers electrons obtained from NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) to the ferredoxin (FDX) protein to regulate steroid production, Fe-S homeostasis, and energy metabolism. In the present invention, the FDXR gene may include the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 (NCBI Reference Sequence NM_024417.5) or the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9 (NCBI Reference SequenceNP_077728.3).

[0056] Mutations in the FDXR gene are generally associated with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD), a unique form of hearing loss characterized by the absence of auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and normal evoked otoacoustic emissions. ANSD is characterized by impaired speech discrimination relative to hearing thresholds on pure-tone audiometry.

[0057] The above "FDXR mutation" may have a mutation in the nucleotide sequence relative to the nucleic acid sequence of the normal FDXR gene (the FDXR gene of the standard genomic DNA). Specifically, the mutation in the FDXR gene may include an insertion, deletion, substitution, or translocation of one or more nucleotide sequences relative to the normal FDXR gene. Specifically, the FDXR mutation may be a substitution of one or more nucleotide sequences relative to the normal FDXR gene. In this case, the "substitution" refers to a phenomenon in which a part of the nucleic acid sequence is replaced with a different nucleic acid sequence.

[0058] In one embodiment of the present invention, the mutation of the FDXR gene may be a mutation in which the 940th base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8 is substituted with T instead of G. In this case, the mutation of the FDXR gene may be a mutation in which valine (Val), which is the 314th amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence of the normal FDXR protein (SEQ ID NO: 9), is substituted with leucine (Leu). Specifically, the mutation of the FDXR gene may include the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 or the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11.

[0059] In the present invention, the hereditary hearing loss may include a mutation in mitochondria.

[0060] Specifically, the hereditary hearing loss may include mutations in the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene or Ser(UCN)-tRNA gene.

[0061] In one specific example, the hereditary hearing loss in the present invention may include a mutation in the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene.

[0062] As used herein, the term "12S ribosomal RNA (12S rRNA or 12S)" refers to the mitochondrial-encoded rRNA, SSU rRNA of the mitochondrial ribosome. Human 12S rRNA is encoded by the MT-RNR1 gene.

[0063] Specifically, the mitochondrial mutation may include an insertion, deletion, substitution, or translocation of one or more nucleotide sequences relative to the normal 12S rRNA gene. Specifically, the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene mutation may be a substitution of one or more nucleotide sequences relative to the normal 12S rRNA gene. In this case, the substitution is the same as described above.

[0064] More specifically, it may be that A in some of the nucleic acid sequences of the normal 12S rRNA gene is substituted with C, G, or T. More specifically, it may be that A at the 1555th base sequence of the nucleic acid sequence described in GenBank: FM865407.1 is substituted with T.

[0065] The A1555G mutation (hereinafter, m.A1555G) of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene has been reported to be associated with hearing loss, including aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss and maternally inherited non-syndromic hearing loss. In particular, the m.A1555G mutation has been reported to have a prevalence of 2.4% in patients with sensorineural hearing loss in Europe and 3.2% in patients with sensorineural hearing loss in China.

[0066] Alternatively, the mutation in the Ser(UCN)-tRNA gene may be the A7445G mutation.

[0067] As used herein, the term "treatment" can be used to encompass both therapeutic and preventative treatment. In this context, "prevention" can be used to mean alleviating or reducing a pathological condition or disease in an individual. In one specific example, the isolated mitochondria as the active ingredient can suppress hearing loss caused by damage.

[0068] The term "active ingredient" as used herein refers to an ingredient that is active on its own or in combination with an auxiliary agent (carrier) that is not active on its own.

[0069] When isolating mitochondria from specific cells, the separation can be accomplished using various known methods, such as using specific buffer solutions or utilizing potential differences and magnetic fields. Furthermore, the mitochondrial separation may include a step of centrifuging and filtering plasma to remove all cellular components, and a step of centrifuging the filtered plasma.

[0070] The above mitochondrial separation can be obtained by disrupting and centrifuging tissues or cells in order to maintain mitochondrial activity. In one specific example, the method may include the steps of culturing cells, centrifuging a composition containing the cells a first time to produce a pellet, resuspending the pellet in a buffer solution and homogenizing it, centrifuging the homogenized solution a second time to produce a supernatant, and centrifuging the supernatant a third time to purify mitochondria. At this time, it is preferable to adjust the time for performing the second centrifugation to be shorter than the times for performing the first and third centrifugations in order to maintain cell activity, and the speed can be increased from the first to the third centrifugation.

[0071] Specifically, the first to third centrifugations may be performed at a temperature of about 0°C to about 10°C, preferably about 3°C ​​to about 5°C. In addition, the time for performing the centrifugation may be performed for about 1 minute to 50 minutes, and may be appropriately adjusted depending on the number of centrifugations and the content of the sample.

[0072] In addition, the first centrifugation may be performed at a speed of about 100xg to about 1,000xg, about 200xg to about 700xg, or about 300xg to about 450xg. In addition, the second centrifugation may be performed at a speed of about 1xg to about 2,000xg, about 25xg to about 1,800xg, or about 500xg to about 1,600xg. In addition, the third centrifugation may be performed at a speed of about 100xg to about 20,000xg, about 500xg to about 18,000xg, or about 800xg to about 15,000xg.

[0073] Additionally, pharmaceutically acceptable sugars may be used to stabilize the obtained mitochondria. Specifically, sugars such as sucrose, mannitol, and trehalose may be used, but are not limited thereto. In addition, pharmaceutically acceptable sugars such as tris, HEPES, and phosphate may be used as pH buffering agents, but are not limited thereto.

[0074] Meanwhile, additives such as chelators and antioxidants can be used to remove damage caused by ion outflow after obtaining the mitochondria and to suppress oxidative stress. These additives can include, without limitation, reagents widely known in the art. Examples thereof include, but are not limited to, EDTA, EGTA, citrate, glycine, taurine, ATP, etc.

[0075] Additionally, the above-described mitochondrial isolation can be obtained by thawing, disrupting, and centrifuging frozen cells or tissues to maintain mitochondrial activity. The above-described method for obtaining mitochondria can be performed by the steps of freezing cells or tissues, thawing the cells or tissues, and disrupting the thawed cells and tissues.

[0076] The freezing may be, but is not limited to, a temperature of -1°C or lower. Specifically, the freezing may be performed in a temperature range of about -5°C to about -200°C, about -15°C to about -180°C, about -25°C to about -160°C, about -40°C to about -140°C, about -55°C to about -120°C, about -60°C to about -100°C, or about -70°C to about -90°C.

[0077] The above freezing can be performed using liquid nitrogen (LN2) or a freezing device. Specifically, the freezing or refrigeration process can be performed using LN2 for rapid freezing, or using a freezing device such as a deep freezer, freezer, or freezing container. The freezing is not particularly limited as long as it is a method capable of freezing or freezing mitochondria.

[0078] The above freezing time is not particularly limited as long as the frozen mitochondria have normal activity.

[0079] The membrane protein of the separated mitochondria can be quantified to quantify the mitochondria. Specifically, the separated mitochondria can be quantified using the bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA) analysis method. At this time, the mitochondria in the pharmaceutical composition may be included at a concentration of about 0.1 μg / ml to about 1,000 μg / ml, about 0.5 μg / ml to about 750 μg / ml, about 1 μg / ml to about 500 μg / ml, about 2 μg / ml to about 150 μg / ml, about 3 μg / ml to about 100 μg / ml, about 4 μg / ml to about 50 μg / ml, or about 5 μg / ml to about 10 μg / ml. In one embodiment of the present invention, the mitochondria may be used at a concentration of about 0.5 μg / ml to about 5 μg / ml.

[0080] Additionally, the number of separated mitochondria can be measured using a particle counter (Multisizer 4e, Beckman Coulter).

[0081] In one specific example, the mitochondria in the pharmaceutical composition are about 1×10 5 dog / ml to about 9×10 9 It can be included in a content of about 1×10 / ml. Specifically, the mitochondria in the pharmaceutical composition are about 1×10 5 dog / ml to about 5×10 9 dog / ml, approximately 2×10 5 dog / ml to about 2×10 9 dog / ml, approximately 5×10 5 dog / ml to about 1×10 9 dog / ml, approximately 1×10 6 dog / ml to about 5×10 8 dog / ml, approximately 2×10 6 dog / ml to about 2×10 8 dog / ml, approximately 5×10 6 dog / ml to about 1×10 8 dog / ml or approximately 1×10 7 dog / ml to about 5×10 7 It can be included in the content of dog / ml.

[0082] At this time, the pharmaceutical composition may further include a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier may be any non-toxic substance suitable for delivery to a patient. Distilled water, alcohol, fats, waxes, and inert solids may be included as carriers. Pharmaceutically acceptable adjuvants (buffers, dispersants) may also be included in the pharmaceutical composition.

[0083] Specifically, the pharmaceutical composition may be prepared as a parenteral formulation according to the route of administration by a conventional method known in the art, including a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in addition to the active ingredient. Here, "pharmaceutically acceptable" means that the carrier does not inhibit the activity of the active ingredient and does not exhibit toxicity exceeding the tolerable level of the intended subject.

[0084] When the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is prepared as a parenteral dosage form, it can be formulated in the form of an injection, a transdermal administration agent, or a nasal inhaler according to a method known in the art together with a suitable carrier. When formulated as an injection, suitable carriers include sterile water, ethanol, polyols such as glycerol or propylene glycol, or mixtures thereof, and preferably, Ringer's solution, phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing triethanolamine, sterile water for injection, or an isotonic solution such as 5% dextrose.

[0085] The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be an injectable formulation. Therefore, to ensure product stability during distribution of the injectable formulation, the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention can be manufactured into a physically and chemically very stable injectable formulation by adjusting the pH using a buffer solution, such as an acid solution or phosphate solution suitable for injectable formulations.

[0086] Specifically, the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may include water for injection.

[0087] The above-mentioned water for injection is distilled water made for dissolving solid injections or diluting water-soluble injections, and may be glucose injection, xylitol injection, D-mannitol injection, fructose injection, physiological saline, dextran 40 injection, dextran 70 injection, amino acid injection, Ringer's solution, lactated-Ringer's solution, or a phosphate buffer solution or sodium dihydrogen phosphate-citrate buffer solution having a pH range of about 3.5 to about pH 7.5.

[0088] The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may further comprise a stabilizer or a solubilizer. For example, the stabilizer may be pyrosulfite or ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid, and the solubilizer may be hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, potassium phosphate hydroxide, potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, or tris. In one specific example, the pharmaceutical composition may comprise a mixed preservative solution such as a trehalose-tris-glycine (TTG) solution, which may be commonly used in pharmaceutically acceptable drug preparations.

[0089] Specifically, the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may include an injectable liquid composition in addition to isolated mitochondria. In this case, the isolated mitochondria are the same as described above. By including the injectable liquid composition, the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is a composition for the prevention or treatment of diseases related to mitochondrial function, and can suppress thrombosis that may be caused by mitochondrial aggregation, platelet reduction and aggregation, etc. when administering mitochondria via injection, and can maintain and / or enhance mitochondrial stability and also stably maintain mitochondrial activity.

[0090] Here, the liquid composition may include glycine, sugar or a buffer.

[0091] The glycine may be present in the injectable liquid composition at a concentration of about 15 mM or more, but is not limited thereto, and specifically, may be present at a concentration of about 15 mM to about 150 mM, about 17 mM to about 130 mM, about 20 mM to about 120 mM, about 22 mM to about 110 mM, or about 25 mM to about 100 mM. In addition, the glycine may be used together with an amino acid selected from the group consisting of, but is not limited to, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine acetate, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, proline, serine, and tyrosine.

[0092] In addition, the sugar included in the liquid composition for injection may be at least one selected from the group consisting of, but not limited to, sucrose, trehalose, mannitol, sorbitol, glucose, fructose, mannose, maltose, lactose, isomaltose, dextran, and dextrin. In particular, the sugar may be trehalose, mannitol, or sucrose. Preferably, the sugar may be trehalose.

[0093] The buffer included in the above injectable liquid composition may be selected from the group consisting of, but not limited to, tris buffer, HEPES buffer, MOPS buffer, and acetate or phosphate-containing buffer. Preferably, the buffer may be an injectable tris buffer.

[0094] At this time, the pH of the buffer is not limited thereto, but may be in the range of about 7.0 to about pH 7.8, in the range of about pH 7.2 to about pH 7.6, or in the range of about pH 7.3 to about pH 7.5.

[0095] Additionally, the buffer may be present in the injectable liquid composition at a concentration of, but not limited to, about 5 mM to about 50 mM, about 8 mM to about 40 mM, about 10 mM to about 35 mM, about 13 mM to about 30 mM, or about 15 mM to about 25 mM.

[0096] The above-described liquid composition for injection may have an osmolarity in the range of about 200 to about 400 mOsm, about 230 to about 380 mOsm, about 250 to about 350 mOsm, about 260 to about 320 mOsm, about 270 to about 330 mOsm, or about 280 to about 300 mOsm. In this case, the osmolarity in the above range facilitates long-term storage at a temperature of 2°C to 8°C or higher, while making the composition suitable for parenteral administration, for example, intravascular, intramuscular, or subcutaneous injection, without causing side effects to a subject.

[0097] As used herein, the term "osmolarity" refers to the moles of solute contributing to the osmotic pressure of a solution per kilogram of solvent, and osmolarity is determined by measuring the freezing point depression of a sample using an osmometer.

[0098] Additionally, the above injectable liquid composition may further comprise a chelating agent.

[0099] The chelating agent may be, but is not limited to, one or more selected from the group consisting of injectable grades of EGTA, EDTA, and BAPTA. The chelating agent may eliminate damage caused by ion outflow after obtaining mitochondria included in the injectable liquid composition.

[0100] In addition, the pharmaceutical composition may include, as additives, antioxidants, ATP, magnesium, etc. that are effective in maintaining the function and activity of mitochondria.

[0101] The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be stored in a container selected from the group consisting of a vial, a cartridge, a syringe, and an autoinjector. Furthermore, the container containing the pharmaceutical composition may be stored at room temperature, a refrigerated temperature of about 2°C to about 8°C, or a temperature of about 25°C to about 40°C until administration to a subject in need of treatment.

[0102] The above object may be a mammal such as, but not limited to, a human, a dog, a cow, a horse, a pig, a sheep, a goat, a cat, a mouse, a rabbit, a rat, and preferably a human.

[0103] Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is administered in a pharmaceutically effective amount. The term "therapeutically effective amount" or "pharmaceutically effective amount" refers to an amount of a compound or composition that is effective in preventing or treating a hearing loss disease, and is sufficient to treat the disease at a reasonable benefit / risk ratio applicable to medical treatment and does not cause side effects. The level of the effective amount can be determined based on factors including the patient's health condition, the type and severity of the disease, the activity of the drug, the sensitivity to the drug, the method of administration, the time of administration, the route of administration and the excretion rate, the duration of treatment, drugs used in combination or concurrently, and other factors well known in the medical field. In one specific embodiment, the therapeutically effective amount refers to an amount of a drug that is effective in treating a genetic hearing loss disease.

[0104] The term "administration" as used herein refers to introducing a given substance into a subject in an appropriate manner, and the route of administration of the composition may be administered through any common route as long as it can reach the target tissue. The pharmaceutical composition may be administered intratympanically, intraperitoneally, intravenously, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, intradermally, topically, intranasally, or rectally, but is not limited thereto. The intratympanic administration may be by direct injection into the tympanic cavity or by administration through surgery (e.g., tympanostomy).

[0105] The preferred dosage of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is about 0.01 mg / kg to about 5 mg / kg, about 0.1 mg / kg to about 4 mg / kg, or about 0.25 mg / kg to about 2.5 mg / kg of mitochondria per dose, based on the body weight of the subject to be administered, but is not limited thereto. That is, it is most preferable in terms of cell activity that the isolated mitochondria of the pharmaceutical composition be administered in the above range of amounts based on the body weight of the subject suffering from hearing loss. In addition, the pharmaceutical composition can be administered 1 to 10 times, 3 to 8 times, or 5 to 6 times, and preferably 5 times. At this time, the administration interval can be 1 to 7 days or 2 to 5 days, and preferably 3 days. Such dosage should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention in any aspect.

[0106] The term "subject" above refers to a subject to whom the composition of the present invention can be applied (prescribed), and may be a subject suffering from hearing loss. Furthermore, the subject may be a mammal, such as a rat, mouse, or livestock, including a human, but is preferably a human.

[0107] In one specific example, the pharmaceutical composition may additionally include an agent for preventing or treating a known hereditary hearing loss disease, and administration of the pharmaceutical composition may additionally be performed in conjunction with treatment of the hereditary hearing loss disease.

[0108] Another aspect of the present invention provides a use of isolated mitochondria for the prevention or treatment of hereditary hearing loss diseases.

[0109] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of treating and / or preventing a hereditary hearing loss disorder comprising administering isolated mitochondria to a subject.

[0110] Additionally, the pharmaceutical composition may additionally include a known agent for the prevention or treatment of hereditary hearing loss, and administration of the pharmaceutical composition may additionally be performed concurrently with treatment of the hereditary hearing loss. In this case, the isolated mitochondria, hereditary hearing loss, preventive treatment, subject, and administration are the same as described above.

[0111] Diagnostic kit

[0112] Another aspect of the present invention provides a diagnostic kit for hereditary hearing loss disease, comprising a polynucleotide comprising a contiguous nucleotide sequence selected from the nucleotide sequence of an exon region of a BCAP31 gene or a complementary polynucleotide thereof, for detecting a c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCAP31 gene.

[0113] The above BCAP31 and hereditary hearing loss are the same as described above.

[0114] The above mutation may be an insertion of a nucleotide sequence into the normal BCAP31 gene.

[0115] The c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCPA31 gene above refers to a mutation in which guanine (G), adenine (A), and guanine (G) are inserted between the 397th and 398th base sequences in the BCAP31 gene. Preferably, it may be a mutation in which guanine (G), adenine (A), and guanine (G) are sequentially inserted between the 397th and 398th base sequences of SEQ ID NO: 4. In this case, the mutation of the BCAP31 gene may be a mutation in which glycine (Gly) is inserted between the 132nd and 133rd amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of the normal BCAP31 protein (SEQ ID NO: 5).

[0116] As used herein, the term "polynucleotide" means a nucleotide polymer of any length, and in this specification, polynucleotide can be used interchangeably with nucleic acid or oligonucleotide.

[0117] The polynucleotide may be, for example, 10 to 100 nucleotides. If the polynucleotide is smaller than 10 nucleotides, the accuracy of target region capture is low. If the polynucleotide is larger than 100 nucleotides, the synthesis cost increases. Therefore, the polynucleotide is economical and has a size optimized for mutation detection in genomic DNA.

[0118] In the present invention, the hereditary hearing loss may be specifically genetically caused sensorineural hearing loss, and more specifically, may be non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (NS-SNHL).

[0119] The above sensorineural hearing loss is the same as described above.

[0120] The above non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss refers to hearing loss that does not show any abnormal symptoms or signs of organs other than inner ear dysfunction.

[0121] The polynucleotide of the present invention can specifically bind to the sequence of a target gene. By utilizing this specific binding property of the polynucleotide, the target gene or a fragment thereof can be effectively isolated from a mixed sample. Therefore, the polynucleotide can be referred to as a probe. The term "probe" refers to a substance that specifically detects a specific substance, site, condition, etc.

[0122] The kit may further comprise known substances required for the polynucleotide to hybridize with the genomic nucleic acid. For example, the kit may further comprise reagents, buffers, buffers, cofactors, and / or substrates required for hybridization of the nucleic acid. In addition, when the kit is applied to a PCR amplification process, it may optionally comprise reagents required for PCR amplification, such as buffers, DNA polymerase, DNA polymerase cofactors, and dNTPs. When the kit is applied to an immunoassay, the diagnostic kit of the present invention may optionally comprise a secondary antibody and a labeled substrate. In addition, the kit may further comprise instructions for use in amplifying the target nucleic acid, and may be manufactured into a plurality of separate packages or compartments containing the reagent components described above.

[0123] Diagnostic composition

[0124] Another aspect of the present invention provides a composition for diagnosing hereditary hearing loss disease, comprising a polynucleotide comprising a contiguous nucleotide sequence selected from the nucleotide sequence of an exon region of a BCAP31 gene or a complementary polynucleotide thereof, for detecting a c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCAP31 gene.

[0125] The above BCAP31, c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCAP31 gene and hereditary hearing loss, and the polynucleotide or complementary polynucleotide thereof are the same as described above.

[0126] How to provide information

[0127] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for providing information for diagnosing a hereditary hearing loss disease, comprising the steps of: 1) contacting a diagnostic composition or kit and genomic DNA isolated from an individual to obtain a hybridization product; 2) identifying a nucleotide sequence of genomic DNA isolated from the individual among the hybridization products; and 3) comparing the identified nucleotide sequence of the genomic DNA with a standard nucleotide sequence to identify a c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCAP31 gene of the genomic DNA.

[0128] At this time, the mutation of the BCAP31 gene may include an insertion of a nucleotide relative to the normal BCAP31 gene.

[0129] The diagnostic composition, diagnostic kit, BCAP31, c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCAP31 gene, and hereditary hearing loss are the same as described above.

[0130] In the above method, the genomic DNA isolated from the subject may be genomic DNA or a fragment thereof isolated from a biological sample. For example, the sample may be at least one selected from the group consisting of blood, saliva, urine, feces, tissue, cells, and biopsies. Furthermore, the sample may include a stored biological sample or genomic DNA isolated therefrom. The storage may be performed by a known method. The genomic DNA may be DNA or RNA derived from tissue stored at room temperature, such as frozen storage or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. Methods for isolating genomic DNA from biological samples are well known. Accordingly, the sample may be isolated from cells, tissues, organs, or body fluids of a patient with hereditary hearing loss. In this case, the sample may be obtained by a conventional method, for example, a biopsy using a method well known to those skilled in the art in the relevant medical techniques.

[0131] In one specific example, the genomic DNA contained in the sample may be fragmented into arbitrary sizes. The fragmentation may be performed using methods well known to those skilled in the art. For example, the genomic DNA may be fragmented using ultrasound. The method may include, after fragmenting the genomic DNA, ligating a sequence for amplification to both ends of the fragmented genomic DNA. A method for ligating the sequence for amplification (e.g., a paired-end tag, a universal tag) can be performed by a person skilled in the art by appropriately selecting a known technique.

[0132] In the above method, the hybridization can be performed by a known method. For example, it can be performed by incubating the polynucleotide and genomic DNA in a buffer known to be suitable for hybridization of nucleic acids. The hybridization can be performed at an appropriate temperature. A temperature suitable for hybridization can be, for example, about 40°C to about 80°C, about 50°C to about 75°C, about 60°C to about 70°C, or about 62°C to about 67°C. Furthermore, the hybridization temperature is not limited thereto and can be appropriately selected depending on the sequence and length of the polynucleotide included in the composition. The hybridization time can be, for example, 1 hour to 12 hours (overnight).

[0133] The method may further include, prior to the step of confirming the nucleotide sequence of the genomic DNA in the hybridization product, a step of separating the hybridization product of the genomic DNA and the polynucleotide from the contact product obtained in the contacting step. The separation may utilize a moiety for separation or purification attached to the polynucleotide. The separation or purification may be achieved by a substance or a magnetic field that specifically binds to the moiety.

[0134] In addition, the method may further include a step of amplifying the genomic DNA by PCR using the separated hybridization product or the genomic DNA as a template and a universal primer complementary to a sequence for amplification attached to each of the genomic DNAs as a primer. The nucleotide sequence can be confirmed using the amplified genomic DNA.

[0135] The above nucleotide sequence can be confirmed, for example, by a sequencing method, and specifically, by next generation sequencing (NGS).

[0136] The above "Next-generation sequencing (NGS) method can analyze the entire genome spanning the gene (DNA level), transcriptome (RNA level), and epigenetic level. To this end, it includes various analysis platforms such as whole genome sequencing (WGS), whole exome sequencing (WES), and whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS). Single nucleotide variants (SNVs), insertions / deletions, and copy number alterations in DNA can be identified through whole genome sequencing or exome sequencing, and changes in mRNA expression levels, gene fusions, and alternative splicing in RNA can be identified through transcriptome sequencing.

[0137] The method comprises a step of comparing the identified nucleotide sequence of genomic DNA with a reference nucleotide sequence. The term "reference nucleotide sequence" may refer to a human genome sequence that does not contain a mutation and serves as a reference for mutation identification. For example, the human gene base sequence published in the database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) of the National Institutes of Health in the United States may be used as a reference nucleotide sequence.

[0138] Comparison between the base sequence of the above genomic DNA and the standard base sequence can be performed using various known sequence comparison analysis programs, such as Maq, Bowtie, SOAP, and GSNAP.

[0139] The term "subject" as used herein refers to any animal classified as a mammal that is or is suspected of being affected by hereditary deafness, and may include humans, non-human primates, cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, dogs, cats, or rodents. Preferably, it may be a human. The terms "subject" and "patient" may be used interchangeably herein.

[0140] In the step of obtaining genomic DNA from the subject, the genomic DNA may be obtained from the subject's blood. The obtaining method may utilize a method known to those skilled in the art for isolating genomic DNA from tissues or cells.

[0141] If a mutation is identified in the BCAP31 gene through the above method, the subject can be diagnosed as having a hereditary hearing loss disease. The above method can be used to diagnose hereditary hearing loss in a subject without additional experiments under in vitro and in vivo conditions.

[0142] biomarkers

[0143] Another aspect of the present invention provides a biomarker for diagnosing hereditary hearing loss disease of the BCAP31 gene comprising a c.397_398insGAG mutation.

[0144] The c.397_398insGAG mutation, BCAP31, and hereditary hearing loss are the same as described above.

[0145] All technical terms used in the present invention, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art in the relevant field of the present invention.

[0146] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples. However, the following examples are intended only to illustrate the present invention and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0147] Manufacturing Example 1. Manufacturing of fluorescently conjugated mitochondria

[0148] MT GFP and MT dsRED After introducing a nucleic acid encoding a fusion protein combined with TOM20, a mitochondria targeting sequence (MTS), and GFP or dsRED into HEK293 cells, mitochondria combined with GFP or dsRED were isolated and used.

[0149] Experimental Example 1. Recruitment of Test Participants

[0150] This study was conducted with approval from the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (IRB-B-1007-105-402).

[0151] First, we recruited nine participants from a family with X-linked recessive hearing loss (Provand, 4 years old). In particular, Provand had normal hearing as a newborn, but his hearing threshold decreased by 5 dB every year, and his speech discrimination score deteriorated rapidly from 70% to 50% during a 3-year follow-up.

[0152] A comprehensive characterization assessment, including a medical history, physical examination, imaging, and audiological evaluation, was performed on the above participants. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing revealed that the participants with hearing loss had progressive sensorineural hearing loss in both ears.

[0153] Experimental Example 2. Molecular Genetic Diagnosis

[0154] Exome sequencing was performed on genomic DNA samples extracted from peripheral blood of the participants in Experimental Example 1. The sequencing results were filtered and analyzed as follows.

[0155] Non-synonymous SNPs were filtered based on a depth ≥ 15. The MAF of the variants was determined using databases such as ExAC, 1000 Genomes, TOPMED, and GnomAD. Variants with a MAF ≥ 0.5% were excluded from the results if they had not been previously reported as pathogenic in the literature, ClinVar, or DVD. In silico testing was performed to evaluate the pathogenicity of candidate variants using scores from SIFT, PolyPhen2, GERP, CLINVAR, and CADD. Segregation analysis was then performed.

[0156] The pathogenic potential of the above-mentioned selected new variants was evaluated according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics / Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG / AMP).

[0157] As a result, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a new hemizygous mutation (c.397_398insGAG; p.Asp132_Ala133insGly) was discovered in the BCAP31 gene associated with the onset of hearing loss. The mutation was confirmed to be inherited in an X-linked recessive manner. Hearing-impaired patients with the mutation in the gene exhibited bilateral symmetrical non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with an average hearing threshold of 53 dB HL.

[0158] Experimental Example 3. Isolation of mouse cochlea and tissue immunostaining

[0159] Mice (C57BL / 6, 1 month old) were sacrificed, the scalp was removed, and the cochlea on both sides was extracted. MT prepared by the method of Manufacturing Example 1 was injected into the extracted cochlea. dsREDwas treated at a concentration of 4 μg. MT dsRED Tissue samples were collected 1, 4, and 24 hours after treatment, and tissue slides were prepared and immunostained. Anti-MTCO2 antibody was used as the primary antibody, and nuclei were stained with DAPI for observation.

[0160] As a result, as shown in Fig. 12, mitochondria (MT) labeled with dsRED fluorescent protein were found inside the cochlea. dsRED ) were located, and it was confirmed that the mitochondria increased as the processing time passed.

[0161] Experimental Example 4. Isolation of Mitochondria from Stem Cells

[0162] Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (US-MSC) of passage 7 (1×10 7 After physically disrupting and homogenizing the 100 cells / ml by pressurization, the first centrifugation was performed at 1,100Хg. The supernatant was then re-centrifuged at 12,000Хg for 15 minutes at 4℃, and the pellet obtained was used as a mitochondrial sample. The sample was quantified using the BCA (bicinchoninic acid) assay method. In this specification, the stem cell-derived mitochondria are named "PN-101" and are described interchangeably with mitochondria.

[0163] Experimental Example 5. Measurement of ATP and mitochondrial membrane potential in lymphoid cell lines derived from normal individuals and hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations.

[0164] Intracellular ATP concentrations in lymphoid cell lines (LCLs) from normal individuals (C1, C2) and hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 gene mutations (PB-1, PB-2) were measured using CellTiterGlo Luminescent reagent (Promega) according to the manufacturer's method.

[0165] Additionally, the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of each cell was measured using tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester (TRME), a fluorescent membrane potential marker.

[0166] Specifically, lymphoid cell lines derived from normal or hearing-impaired patients were seeded at 1×10 in 6-well plates. 6 Cells were seeded at a concentration of 10 cells / well and cultured overnight, and then treated with PN-101 at a concentration of 10 μg each. After 24 hours of reaction, 500 nM TMRE was treated and stained at 37°C for 30 minutes, followed by flow cytometry (CytoFLEX LX).

[0167] As a result, as shown in Figures 4a and 4b, it was confirmed that intracellular ATP and mitochondrial membrane potential were significantly reduced in the hearing-impaired patient group with BCAP31 mutations compared to normal people.

[0168] Experimental Example 6. Measurement of cytotoxicity by cisplatin treatment on lymphoid cell lines derived from normal individuals and hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations.

[0169] After treating lymphoid cell lines (LCL) from normal individuals (C1) and hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations (PB-1, PB-2) with cisplatin at various concentrations, the degree of cell death was confirmed using annexin / PI staining.

[0170] Specifically, lymphoid cell lines derived from normal or hearing-impaired patients were seeded at 1×10 in 6-well plates. 6 Cells were seeded at a concentration of 10 cells / well and cultured overnight. The cells prepared as above were treated with cisplatin at various concentrations (3.125 uM to 100 uM) for 6 hours, and then washed twice with PBS to completely remove cisplatin. The cells were cultured for an additional 24 hours, stained with annexin / PI, and measured using flow cytometry (CytoFLEX LX).

[0171] As a result, as shown in Fig. 5, it was confirmed that cell death induced by cisplatin was more significantly increased in LCLs of hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations compared to normal individuals.

[0172] Experimental Example 7. Western Blot

[0173] Expression of cytochrome C (cyt C) was confirmed in lymphoid cell lines (LCLs) derived from normal individuals (C1) and hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations (PB-1, PB-2).

[0174] Specifically, lymphoid cell lines derived from normal or hearing-impaired patients were seeded at 1×10 in 6-well plates. 6 Cells were seeded at a concentration of 10 cells / well and cultured overnight. The cells prepared as above were pretreated with cisplatin (25 μM) for 6 hours. Then, cisplatin was completely removed by washing twice with PBS, and PN-101 was treated at a concentration of 10 μg each and cultured for an additional 24 hours. Cell lysates were obtained using lysis buffer, and cytochrome c and β-actin expression were confirmed using SDS-PAGE. At this time, anti-cyt C antibody (Santa Cruz, SC-13156) and anti-β-actin antibody were used as primary antibodies.

[0175] As a result, as shown in Figures 9a and 9b, it was confirmed that the expression of cyt C was increased in the cytosolic fraction of LCLs derived from hearing-impaired patients compared to the normal group.

[0176] Experimental Example 8. Confirmation of the improvement effect of mitochondrial treatment in a lymphoid cell line derived from a hearing-impaired patient with a BCAP31 mutation.

[0177] Experimental Example 8.1. Restoration of intracellular mitochondrial function through mitochondrial treatment.

[0178] After treating lymphoid cell lines (LCL) from normal individuals (C1) and hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations (PB-1, PB-2) with stem cell-derived mitochondria (PN-101) isolated in the same manner as in Experimental Example 4, the intracellular ATP concentration and membrane potential were measured.

[0179] Specifically, lymphoid cell lines derived from normal or hearing-impaired patients were seeded at 1×10 in 6-well plates. 6 After inoculating at a concentration of 10 cells / well and culturing overnight, PN-101 was treated at a concentration of 10 μg each. After reacting for 24 hours, the intracellular ATP concentration and membrane potential were measured using the same method as in Experimental Example 5.

[0180] As a result, as shown in Fig. 7a and Fig. 7b, it was confirmed that the ATP concentration and membrane potential of intracellular mitochondria increased (membrane potential increased only in PB-2) by PN-101 treatment in a lymphoid cell line derived from a hearing-impaired patient compared to the untreated group.

[0181] Experimental Example 8.2. Confirmation of the effect of mitochondria on cytotoxicity induced by cisplatin treatment.

[0182] The degree of cell death was determined in lymphoid cell lines (LCL) derived from normal individuals (C1) and hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations (PB-1, PB-2) treated with cisplatin and PN-101.

[0183] Specifically, lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from normal individuals or hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations were seeded at 1 × 10 in 6-well plates. 6 After inoculating at a concentration of 10 cells / well, the cells were cultured overnight. Subsequently, the cells were treated with cisplatin (25 uM) and reacted for 6 hours, and then treated with PN-101 at a concentration of 10 μg. After 24 hours of reaction, the degree of cell death (cytotoxicity) was determined. The cell death (cytotoxicity) was confirmed through annexin / PI staining in the same manner as in Experimental Example 6.

[0184] As a result, as shown in Fig. 8, it was confirmed that the increased apoptosis by cisplatin treatment in LCLs of hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations was significantly reduced by PN-101 treatment compared to the untreated group.

[0185] In addition, under the same conditions, the expression of cytochrome C in the cytosolic fraction was confirmed using the same method as in Experimental Example 7, and this was quantified and presented in a graph.

[0186] As a result, as shown in Figures 9a and 9b, cytochrome C in the cytosolic fraction was significantly increased by cisplatin in LCLs of hearing-impaired patients with BCAP31 mutations compared to the untreated group. On the other hand, it was confirmed that the expression of cytochrome C increased by cisplatin treatment was significantly reduced in the PN-101 treated group.

[0187] These results confirm that the pathogenesis of hearing loss caused by BCAP31 mutations is related to mitochondrial dysfunction and increased susceptibility to ototoxicity. Furthermore, we confirmed that administration of mitochondria (PN-101) to a lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) derived from hearing-impaired patients restored mitochondrial abnormalities and reduced sensitivity to cisplatin. Therefore, these results suggest that the administration of functionally normal mitochondria may be a potential treatment for hearing loss caused by mitochondrial dysfunction.

[0188] Experimental Example 9. Recovery of Impaired Mitochondrial Function in a Lymphoid Cell Line Derived from a Hearing-Impaired Patient with a Mutation in the Ferredoxin Reductase Gene

[0189] After treating PN-101 to a normal person (C1) and a lymphoid cell line (PB-3) derived from a hearing-impaired patient with a FDXR (ferredoxin reductase) mutation, intracellular ATP concentration and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured.

[0190] Specifically, lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from normal individuals or hearing-impaired patients with FDXR mutations were seeded at 1×10 in 6-well plates. 6 After inoculating the cells at a concentration of 10 cells / well, they were cultured overnight. Subsequently, the cells were treated with PN-101 at a concentration of 10 μg and incubated for 2 days. The intracellular ATP concentration and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured. The ATP concentration and membrane potential were measured using the same method as in Experimental Example 5.

[0191] As a result, as shown in Figures 10a and 10b, it was confirmed that the ATP concentration and membrane potential in the lymphoid cell line (PB-3) derived from a hearing-impaired patient with an FDXR mutation were decreased compared to the normal person (C1). On the other hand, in the case of the lymphoid cell line (PB-3) derived from a hearing-impaired patient, it was confirmed that the ATP concentration and mitochondrial membrane potential were significantly increased in the PN-101-treated group compared to the untreated group.

[0192] Experimental Example 10. Recovery of impaired mitochondrial function in a fibroblast cell line derived from a hearing-impaired patient with the m.A1555G mitochondrial mutation.

[0193] Each normal person (C1) and hearing-impaired patient-derived fibroblast cell line (PB-4, PB-5) with mitochondrial mutation of adenine to guanine at position 1555 (m.A1555G) in the mitochondrial gene were treated with PN-101 at a concentration of 0.15 μg for 24 hours, and then the intracellular ATP concentration was measured. At this time, the fibroblast cell line was seeded in a 96-well plate at a density of 5 × 10 3 After inoculating at a concentration of 10 cells / well, the cells were cultured overnight and prepared. The intracellular ATP concentration was measured using the method of Experimental Example 5 above.

[0194] As a result, as shown in Fig. 11, it was confirmed that the ATP concentration in the fibroblast cell lines (PB-4, PB-5) derived from hearing-impaired patients with the m.A1555G mutation was reduced compared to normal subjects. On the other hand, in the case of the fibroblast cell lines derived from the hearing-impaired patients, it was confirmed that the decreased ATP concentration was increased in the PN-101 treatment group compared to the untreated group.

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss disease, comprising isolated mitochondria as an active ingredient.

2. In paragraph 1, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein mitochondria are isolated from cells.

3. In paragraph 2, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss disease, wherein the above cells are somatic cells, germ cells, stem cells, blood cells or a combination thereof.

4. In paragraph 3, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein the stem cells are mesenchymal stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, embryonic stem cells, or a combination thereof.

5. In paragraph 4, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein the mesenchymal stem cells are umbilical cord, umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, fat, muscle, nerve, skin, amniotic membrane, placenta, synovial fluid, testis, periosteum or a combination thereof.

6. In paragraph 1, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein the above-mentioned isolated mitochondria have normal activity.

7. In paragraph 1, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein the hereditary hearing loss comprises a mutation in the BCAP31 gene.

8. In paragraph 7, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein the mutation in the BCAP31 gene comprises an insertion of a nucleotide sequence relative to the nucleic acid sequence of a normal BCAP31 gene.

9. In paragraph 8, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein the mutation of the BCAP31 gene is such that guanine (G), adenine (A), and guanine (G) are sequentially inserted between the 397th and 398th base sequences of sequence number 4.

10. In paragraph 9, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein the mutation of the BCAP31 gene is such that glycine (Gly) is inserted between the 132nd and 133rd amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of sequence number 5.

11. In paragraph 7, A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, wherein the above BCAP31 gene mutation is an X-chromosome-linked recessive inheritance.

12. A diagnostic kit for hereditary hearing loss disease comprising a polynucleotide comprising a continuous nucleotide sequence selected from the nucleotide sequence of the exon region of the BCAP31 gene or a complementary polynucleotide thereof for detecting the c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCAP31 gene.

13. In paragraph 12, A diagnostic kit for hereditary hearing loss disease, wherein the above mutation is an insertion of a nucleotide sequence into a normal BCAP31 gene.

14. In paragraph 12, A diagnostic kit for hereditary hearing loss disease, wherein the polynucleotide has a length of 10 to 100 nucleotides.

15. In paragraph 12, A diagnostic kit for a hereditary hearing loss disease, wherein the hereditary hearing loss is non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (NS-SNHL).

16. A composition for diagnosing hereditary hearing loss disease, comprising a polynucleotide comprising a continuous nucleotide sequence selected from the nucleotide sequence of the exon region of the BCAP31 gene or a complementary polynucleotide thereof, for detecting the c.397_398insGAG mutation of the BCAP31 gene. 17.1) A step of contacting the diagnostic composition of Article 16 with genomic DNA isolated from an individual to obtain a hybridization product; 2) a step of confirming the nucleotide sequence of the genomic DNA isolated from the individual among the hybridization products; and 3) A method for detecting a mutation in genomic DNA to provide information for diagnosing a hereditary hearing loss disease, comprising: a step of comparing the identified nucleotide sequence of the genomic DNA with a standard nucleotide sequence to identify a c.397_398insGAG mutation in the BCAP31 gene of the genomic DNA; A biomarker for diagnosing hereditary hearing loss disease of the BCAP31 gene containing the 18.c.397_398insGAG mutation.

19. Use of isolated mitochondria for the prevention or treatment of hereditary hearing loss.

20. A method for preventing or treating hereditary hearing loss, comprising administering isolated mitochondria to a subject.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Microarray-based diagnosis of pediatric deafness and construction of deafness gene chip

    JP2006518605A

  • Marker composition for diagnosing hereditary hearing loss in korean population

    KR1020140088796A

  • Automatic assembly device for non-slip members for hangers

    KR1020220130390A

  • Pharmaceutical composition, for preventing or treating hearing loss or tinnitus, comprising mitochondria as active ingredient

    WO2023211226A1