Auditory responses evoked by optical stimulation on the optogenetic-infected cochlear neurons in the guinea pigs

Cochlear implants (CIs) are by far the optimal option to partially restore hearing for the patients of sensorineural hearing impairment (HI) by electrically stimulating spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). However, wide current spread from each electrode constitute an interface which restricts precision and quality of the electrical CIs. Recently, optogenetic stimulation of the cochlea has been proved as a more optimized approach via adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying the gene encoding the light-sensitive channelrhodopsin-2. Here, we focus on summarizing recent work on stable and accurate ChR2 expression and compare the electrophysiological recording of optogenetic and acoustic stimulation in adult guinea pigs. Light stimulation generated auditory responses that was similar to that of acoustic stimulation. Moreover, normal hearing adult guinea pigs responded with a rise in amplitudes with increasing light intensity. In conclusion, optogenetic cochlear stimulation achieved good spectral selectivity of artificial sound encoding in a new adult rodent model, suggesting that the capabilities of optogenetics might be applied to improve cochlear implants in the future.

GSTA4 mediates reduction of cisplatin ototoxicity in female mice

Cisplatin is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of cancer. Unfortunately, one of its major side effects is permanent hearing loss. Here, we show that glutathione transferase α4 (GSTA4), a member of the Phase II detoxifying enzyme superfamily, mediates reduction of cisplatin ototoxicity by removing 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in the inner ears of female mice. Under cisplatin treatment, loss of Gsta4 results in more profound hearing loss in female mice compared to male mice. Cisplatin stimulates GSTA4 activity in the inner ear of female wild-type, but not male wild-type mice. In female Gsta4−/− mice, cisplatin treatment results in increased levels of 4-HNE in cochlear neurons compared to male Gsta4−/− mice. In CBA/CaJ mice, ovariectomy decreases mRNA expression of Gsta4, and the levels of GSTA4 protein in the inner ears. Thus, our findings suggest that GSTA4-dependent detoxification may play a role in estrogen-mediated neuroprotection.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha target protein up-regulation in Hypoxic cochlear neurons is associate with aged-related hearing loss in C57BL/6 mice

Molecular mechanisms underlining hypoxia- induced aged-hearing loss were studied. 3- months C57BL/6 mice were subjected to four weeks of hypoxia (10% 02), whereas, controls were kept under normoxic condition for up to six months. Auditory function was explored by CAP and Preyer’s reflex measurements and correlated with histological analysis of the cochlea. The presence of oxidative damage, HIF-1 responsive target genes regulation involved in cell death, inflammation and neovascularization were assessed by immunofluorescence analysis. Hypoxia was associated to severe hearing loss at 4-8 and 16 KHz and degeneration of the cochlea, with significant cell loss (30%) in the spiral ganglion, the lateral wall, and the hair cells with a basal-apical alteration gradient. This was correlated with ROS formation and HIF-1a overexpression. Cochlear degeneration was due to apoptosis via activated caspase-3, P53, Bax and Bcl-2 protein differential expression in spiral ganglion, modiolus and spiral ligament. On the other hand, Hsp70, NF-kB transcription factor pathway and inflammatory mediators (caspase-1 and TNF-a) were induced in the stria vascularis. Furthermore, a phenomenon of neovascularization was observed with significant thickening of stria vascularis and increased expression of VEGF. In total, we demonstrated that the tandem-HIF-ROS is responsible for the caspase-3 and Bax–mediated apoptosis via P53 protein accumulation in the cochlear neurons, while inflammatory response mediated by Hsp70 stress protein and NF-kB transcription factor generating a neovascularization phenomenon occurred in stria vascularis.