Acbd7 is essential for preserving hair cell-mediated auditory and vestibular function.

Abstract

Understanding the molecular basis of hair cell function is essential for elucidating inner ear physiology and developing therapies for auditory-vestibular disorders. Here, we identify acyl-CoA binding domain-containing 7 (Acbd7) as a hair cell-specific gene critical for sensory maintenance. Single-cell transcriptomics of mouse cochlear organoids revealed Acbd7 as a top hair cell-enriched transcript, with its spatiotemporal expression confirmed from embryonic development through adulthood in both auditory and vestibular hair cells. Acbd7‑deficient mice exhibited pronounced hair cell degeneration, characterized by synaptic defects and diminished calcium currents in inner hair cells and loss of outer hair cells. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses linked Acbd7 to the regulation of Ca2+ signaling and fatty acid metabolism pathways. Our findings establish Acbd7 as a critical regulator of Ca2+ homeostasis and functional integrity in hair cells, thereby elucidating a key mechanism by which a fatty acid metabolism factor sustains hair cell function and providing potential therapeutic targets for inner ear disorders.