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Updated: Jan 15, 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
Nr4a1 Deficiency Potentially Promotes Hearing Loss Through Inner Ear Immunity in C57BL/6N Mice
Yanbing Lai1, Xiaodi Wang1, Maohua Wang2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei.
Background:
Nr4a1 deficiency is implicated in some age-related processes, but its link to age-related hearing loss remains unclear.
Objectives:
To explore the impact of Nr4a1 deficiency on auditory function.
Material And Methods:
Various audiological methods were employed to evaluate audiological performance. Immunofluorescence staining was utilized to observe the sensory epithelium and cochlear nerve fibers (ANFs) of cochlea. The subcellular structure of ANFs was inspected under a transmission electron microscope. Moreover, transcriptome sequencing was conducted to investigate the differences in cochlear gene expression between two groups of mice with different genetic backgrounds.
Results:
KO mice exhibited a more pronounced hearing impairment, accompanied by structural abnormalities in inner hair cell synapses, demyelination of ANFs, and mitochondrial morphologic alterations. In addition, Nr4a1 deficiency leads to differential gene expression, which correlates to the immune cell infiltration pattern in cochlea.
Conclusions:
Nr4a1 deficiency in C57BL/6N mice exacerbates age-related hearing loss, accompanied by structural changes in synapses and ANFs, potentially resulting from genetic alterations and immune system disruptions.
