MicroRNAs in acquired sensorineural hearing loss

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Otolaryngology
• Genetics

Background:

• Presbyacusis (age-related hearing loss) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss are significant auditory impairments.
• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and are implicated in various cellular processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current literature on the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of presbyacusis and sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases for English-language studies published between 2000 and 2017.
• Nine high-quality studies were included in the review after applying inclusion criteria.
• The National Institutes of Health quality assessment tool was used to evaluate the evidence quality.

Main Results:

• In presbyacusis, upregulated miRNAs are associated with pro-apoptotic and autophagy pathways, while downregulated miRNAs are linked to proliferative and differentiation pathways.
• A shift in miRNA expression may lead to reduced cellular activity and impaired inner-ear homeostasis, contributing to presbyacusis.
• The evidence for a direct etiological role of miRNAs in sudden hearing loss is currently limited.

Conclusions:

• Altered microRNA expression profiles are implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related hearing loss.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets of miRNAs in both presbyacusis and sudden sensorineural hearing loss.