The RNA-binding protein TRIM71 is essential for hearing in humans and mice and times auditory sensory organ development

X Xiao-Jun Li C Charles Morgan (The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) P Phan Q. Duy L Lale Evsen (The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) L Le T. Hao (Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine) R Roxane Machavoine (Centre de Référence Surdités Génétiques, Service de Médecine génomique des Maladies Rares, UF Morphogenèse et Développement, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité) K Kahina Belhous (Service de Radiologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité) S Sylvain Ernest (INSERM UMR1163, Institut Imagine, Université Paris Cité) F Françoise Denoyelle (Service d'Oto-rhino-laryngologie Pédiatrique et de Chirurgie Cervico Faciale, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité) C Cyril Mignot (Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière and Hôpital Trousseau and Centre de Référence Maladies Rares Déficiences Intellectuelles de Causes Rares, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris Sorbonne Université) F Frederic Brioude (INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Hôpital Trousseau, Sorbonne Université) M Marine Parodi (Service d'Oto-rhino-laryngologie Pédiatrique et de Chirurgie Cervico Faciale, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité) L Lin Li H He Huang P Prathamesh T. Nadar Ponniah (The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) W Waldemar Kolanus (Molecular Immunology and Cell Biology, Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn) K Kristopher T. Kahle (Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School) S Sandrine Marlin (Centre de Référence Surdités Génétiques, Service de Médecine génomique des Maladies Rares, UF Morphogenèse et Développement, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité) A Angelika Doetzlhofer (The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Abstract

The RNA-binding protein TRIM71 is essential for brain development, and recent genetic studies in humans have identified TRIM71 as a risk gene for congenital hydrocephal-us (CH). Here, we show that monoallelic missense mutations in TRIM71 are associated with hearing loss (HL) and inner ear aplasia in humans. Utilizing conditional Trim71 knockout mice carrying a CH and HL-associated mutation, we demonstrate that loss of TRIM71 function during early otic development (embryonic day 9 to 10) causes severe HL. While inner ear morphogenesis occurs normally in Trim71 knockout mice, we find that early otic loss of TRIM71 function disrupts the highly stereotyped timing of cell cycle exit and differentiation within the inner ear auditory sensory organ (cochlea), resulting in the premature formation and innervation of mechanosensory hair cells. Transcriptomic profiling of Trim71 -deficient cochlear progenitor cells identifies Inhba and Tgfbr2 as targets of TRIM71 repression, and our analysis of Inhba-Tgfbr1 double knockout mice indicates that TRIM71 maintains hair cell progenitors in a proliferative and undifferentiated state by restricting TGFβ-type signaling. Characterization of hair cells and their associated neurons in adult Trim71 knockout mice revealed reduced presynaptic terminals and neuronal degeneration in the outer hair cell region, providing a basis for the observed hearing deficits in Trim71 knockout mice.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 122, Issue 36
Published September 09, 2025
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (19)

X

Xiao-Jun Li

C

Charles Morgan

The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

P

Phan Q. Duy

L

Lale Evsen

The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

L

Le T. Hao

Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine

R

Roxane Machavoine

Centre de Référence Surdités Génétiques, Service de Médecine génomique des Maladies Rares, UF Morphogenèse et Développement, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité

K

Kahina Belhous

Service de Radiologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité

S

Sylvain Ernest

INSERM UMR1163, Institut Imagine, Université Paris Cité

F

Françoise Denoyelle

Service d'Oto-rhino-laryngologie Pédiatrique et de Chirurgie Cervico Faciale, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité

C

Cyril Mignot

Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière and Hôpital Trousseau and Centre de Référence Maladies Rares Déficiences Intellectuelles de Causes Rares, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris Sorbonne Université

F

Frederic Brioude

INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Hôpital Trousseau, Sorbonne Université

M

Marine Parodi

Service d'Oto-rhino-laryngologie Pédiatrique et de Chirurgie Cervico Faciale, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité

L

Lin Li

H

He Huang

P

Prathamesh T. Nadar Ponniah

The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

W

Waldemar Kolanus

Molecular Immunology and Cell Biology, Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn

K

Kristopher T. Kahle

Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School

S

Sandrine Marlin

Centre de Référence Surdités Génétiques, Service de Médecine génomique des Maladies Rares, UF Morphogenèse et Développement, Hôpital Necker, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité

A

Angelika Doetzlhofer

The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine