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The ears and the heart – these two organs seem to be far apart, and they have nothing in common.But did you know that for some people, hearing loss or loss is a sign of heart disease?Researchers at Harvard Medical School in the United States have discovered the genes that cause this situation.Knowing this principle and information, they can better help millions of heart disease patients solve the problems they face.

Strange connection: Heart problems after hearing loss lasts ten years

Christine Steman, a professor of medicine, had performed heart transplants for two patients from the same family. During the treatment, he noticed this strange connection: both patients showed up after persistent hearing loss. Heart problems.

The patients showed symptoms of hearing loss in the early years, which lasted for at least 10 years-then they began to feel breathing difficulties, chest pains and other symptoms of heart disease.At the time of the examination, the above symptoms indicate the weakness of the heart muscle, and the obviously degenerated muscles can no longer provide sufficient blood for the heart and lungs.This situation is very dangerous, claiming about 26 lives every year.Fortunately, the final heart transplant operation was very successful. The two patients got rid of the danger and gained a healthy body and a happy life.

Zebrafish experiment: hearing loss can be used as an early warning device for heart disease

After discovering this condition, Steman and her colleagues paid great attention to the abnormal connection between hearing loss and heart disease and began to study its causes.After investigating many families with syndromes, they found that these family members all have a gene mutation called eya4.

In order to further observe how this genetic mutation leads to changes in protein, the researchers selected zebrafish as the first experimental object-this fish, which is about half the length of a human finger, has a very obvious eya4 gene in its body, which is very similar to humans.In addition, the zebrafish’s body is almost transparent.People can see or even take pictures of their hearts, and they may observe the flow of blood in various parts of the body, all of which provide absolute convenience for the experiment.

Through experiments, Steman and her colleagues discovered that many genes that cause heart disease only affect a certain function, such as helping the heart beat.And this gene, eya4, can regulate most of the functions required by a normal heart.

Research on eya4 has allowed humans to find a new way to observe heart function as a whole, which is the true meaning of this work.In people with this genetic mutation, hearing loss appeared ten years before suffering from heart disease.Steman said: “Therefore, we can use hearing loss as an early warning device for heart disease.”

Evolution retains certain mutations in the body as a program, while affecting two unrelated organs

Steman also said: “At the same time, we are also very interested in the effect of the eya4 gene on hearing. It can be said that we want to expand the research field from the heart to hearing.” Because of its transparent body, researchers have successfully used it. The zebrafish detected heart problems; the next experiment will use mice as the object, and eventually reach the link between this gene and hearing; technically speaking, it is relatively easy to do experiments with mammals.

Researchers want to understand why a gene can survive millions of years of evolution, why it can work in fish and humans, and affect the heart and hearing at the same time.

“Heart and ears seem to be very different. However, if a gene mutation can always develop in a body organ such as the ear, then the natural evolutionary process will save it as a model in the body and apply it to Other functions in the organization. As a program, if we can understand the consequences of failure of such genetic adjustments, we may be able to find solutions to medical problems in the heart and hearing.”