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Pupillometry to Assess Auditory Sensation in Guinea Pigs
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Noise alters guinea pig's blood-labyrinth barrier ultrastructure and permeability along with a decrease of cochlear
Yong-Xiang Wu1,2, Guo-Xia Zhu3, Xin-Qin Liu4
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. wuyongxianggary@163.com.
BMC Neuroscience
|December 26, 2014
Summary
Noise exposure causes hearing loss by damaging the cochlea and increasing blood-labyrinth barrier permeability. This study found reduced tight junction proteins Claudin-5 and Occludin contribute to this damage.
Area of Science:
- Ototolaryngology
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Noise exposure (NE) is a significant health risk leading to hearing impairment.
- The precise ultrastructural changes in the blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) and the role of tight junction proteins (TJPs) in noise-induced hearing loss remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of NE on cochlear ultrastructure and BLB permeability.
- To examine the expression of TJPs, specifically Claudin-5 and Occludin, in the cochlea following NE.
Main Methods:
- Guinea pigs were exposed to white noise (115 dB SPL, 6 hours/day for 2 days).
- Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) assessed hearing impairment.
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and lanthanum nitrate tracing evaluated cochlear ultrastructure and BLB permeability.
- Immunohistochemistry and western blot quantified Claudin-5 and Occludin expression.
Main Results:
- NE induced significant hearing impairment and outer hair cell (OHC) loss.
- TEM revealed loosened tight junctions and lanthanum leakage, indicating increased BLB permeability.
- A dose-dependent decrease in Claudin-5 and Occludin expression was observed in the cochlea.
Conclusions:
- Reduced expression of Claudin-5 and Occludin, along with increased BLB permeability, are implicated in noise-induced hearing impairment.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the causal relationships and underlying mechanisms.
