Sulforaphane attenuates cisplatin-induced hearing loss by inhibiting histone deacetylase expression

Cruciferous vegetables are a rich source of sulforaphane (SFN), which acts as a natural HDAC inhibitor (HDACi). Our previous study found that HDACi could restore histone acetyltransferase/histone deacetylase (HAT/HDAC) balance in the cochlea and attenuate gentamicin-induced hearing loss in guinea pigs. Here, we investigated the protective effect of SFN on cisplatin-induced hearing loss (CIHL).

Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups: the control group, cisplatin group, and SFN+cisplatin group. Rats were injected with SFN (30 mg/kg once a day) and cisplatin (7 mg/kg twice a day) for 7 days to investigate the protective role of SFN on CIHL. We observed auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold shifts and immunostained cochlear basilar membranes of rats. For in vitro experiments, we treated HEI-OC1 cells and rat cochlear organotypic cultures with SFN (5, 10, and 15 μM) and cisplatin (10 μM). Immunofluorescence, cell viability, and protein analysis were performed to further analyze the protective mechanism of SFN on CIHL.

SFN (30 mg/kg once a day) decreased cisplatin (7 mg/kg twice a day)-induced ABR threshold shifts and outer hair cell loss. CCK-8 assay showed that cisplatin (10 μM) reduced the viability of HEI-OC1 cells to 42%, and SFN had a dose-dependent protective effect. In cochlear organotypic cultures, we found that SFN (10 and 15 μM) increased cisplatin (10 μM)-induced myosin 7a⁺ cell count and restored ciliary morphology. SFN (5, 10, and 15 μM) reversed the cisplatin (10 μM)-induced increase in HDAC2, -4, and -5 and SFN (15 μM) reversed the cisplatin (10 μM)-induced decrease in H3-Ack9 [acetyl-histone H3 (Lys9)] protein expression in HEI-OC1 cells. Neither cisplatin nor cisplatin combined with SFN affected the expression of HDAC7, or HDAC9.

SFN prevented disruption of the HAT/HDAC balance, protecting against CIHL in rats.