A Novel Mutation Located in the N-Terminal Domain of MYO15A Caused Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Background: MYO15A is one of the common genes of severe-to-profound sensorineural deafness. Mutations in this gene can cause both pre- and post-lingual hearing losses. In this study, a novel MYO15A variant (c.2482C>T) was identified to be associated with autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) in a Chinese Uighur family. Methods: To examine the effects of the MYO15A mutation on the morphology and function of the derived hair cell-like cells, two iPSCs were generated separately from the proband and a mutation-negative family member and those were then induced to hair cell-like cells. Results: Results showed that this homozygous MYO15A mutation (PVS1 + PM2 + PP1 + PP3), which is located in the N-terminal domain, displayed significant differences in the morphology and function of hair cell-like cells between the proband and the normal control, although it had no effect on the totipotency of iPSCs. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that the novel variant c.2482C>T in the MYO15A gene may cause inner ear hair cell dysfunction and audiological disorders in this family.