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Updated: May 29, 2026
Modified Experimental Conditions for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice and Assessment of Hearing Function and Outer Hair Cell Damage
Published on: February 10, 2023
Role of stromal cell-derived factor-1 expression in the injured mouse auditory nerve
Lauren A Kilpatrick1, Juhong Zhu, Fu-Shing Lee
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA. kilpatri@musc.edu
Objective:
The degeneration of hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) is an important pathologic process in the development of sensorineural hearing loss. In a murine model, predictable and reproducible damage to SGNs occurs through the application of ouabain to the round window. Recent evidence has shown that the chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is a potent chemoattractant of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and provides trophic support to injured tissues during development and maturation. The hypothesis for the current study is that expression of SDF-1 plays an important role in protecting SGNs and preventing further degeneration in the setting of cochlear injury.
Study Design:
Prospective, controlled.
Setting:
Academic research laboratory.
Subject And Methods:
Auditory brainstem response (ABR) and the expression of SDF-1 mRNA and protein were examined 1, 3, 7, 14, and 30 days after application of ouabain in 35 adult mice.
Results:
Following ouabain application, real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for SDF demonstrates increased mRNA expression following ouabain injury in nontransplanted mice. A significant increase in SDF protein expression was also observed using immunolabeling techniques and Western blot analysis.
Conclusions:
SDF-1 expression is increased in the auditory nerve following cochlear injury. Further knowledge about the cochlear microenvironment, including SDF-1, is critical to maximizing HSC engraftment in the injured cochlea and providing a therapeutic option for sensorineural hearing loss.