MicroRNAs in the auditory system: tiny molecules with big impact

Abstract “Blindness separates from things; deafness separates from people.” This quote attributed to the deaf-blind author and activist Helen Keller (1880–1968) indicates the importance of proper hearing for social interaction in our society which is largely driven by acoustic communication. A major cause for auditory dysfunction lies in our genome with currently more than 100 genes linked to hearing loss. One example is the microRNA gene Mir-96 of the microRNA-183 family. MicroRNAs are small regulatory RNAs involved in the finetuning of gene expression. Analyses of transgenic mouse models established this microRNA family as a major regulator for the function of the inner ear as well as synaptic transmission in the auditory brainstem. The microRNA-183 family might therefore play an important role in coordinating the development of the peripheral and central auditory system and their specializations.