title: Advances in nano-based inner ear delivery systems for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the most common diseases, accounting for about 90% of all hearing loss. Leading causes of SNHL include advanced age, ototoxic medications, noise exposure, inherited and autoimmune disorders. Most of SNHL is irreversible and managed with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Although there is increased understanding of the molecular pathophysiology of SNHL, biologic treatment options are limited due to lack of noninvasive targeted delivery systems. Obstacles of targeted inner ear delivery include anatomic inaccessibility, biotherapeutic instability, and nonspecific delivery. Advances in nanotechnology may provide a solution to these barriers. Nanoparticles can stabilize and carry biomaterials across the round window membrane into the inner ear, and ligand bioconjugation onto nanoparticle surfaces allows for specific targeting. A newer technology, nanohydrogel, may offer noninvasive and sustained biotherapeutic delivery into specific inner ear cells. Nanohydrogel may be used for inner ear dialysis, a potential treatment for ototoxicity-induced SNHL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Lilun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brant
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Malley
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsourkas
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: lidaqing@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Daqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D007758:Ear, Inner; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles
keywords: Inner ear; Nanodialysis; Nanohydrogel; Nanomedicine; Ototoxicity; Targeted delivery