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Updated: Jun 29, 2026
07:07
Evaluation of Planar-Cell-Polarity Phenotypes in Ciliopathy Mouse Mutant Cochlea
Published on: February 21, 2016
Slc16a5 (MCT6) knockout induces sex-dependent changes in auditory function, hair cell viability and cochlear
Arthur Germakovski1, Mengxiao Ye2, Guang-Di Chen3
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Molecular Biosciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
Hearing Research
|June 27, 2026
Summary
Monocarboxylate transporter 6 (Mct6) deficiency impacts hearing differently in male and female mice. Mct6 is crucial for cochlear stress resistance and auditory resilience, with sex-specific effects on hearing loss and hair cell survival.
Area of Science:
- Inner ear physiology
- Auditory neuroscience
- Metabolic regulation
Background:
- Cochlear homeostasis relies on metabolic regulation.
- The role of monocarboxylate transporters, like Mct6, in hearing is unclear.
- Mct6 (Slc16a5) transports metabolites vital for cellular energy and signaling.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate Mct6's role in cochlear physiology, hair cell viability, and molecular stability.
- Determine the sex-specific effects of Mct6 deficiency on auditory function.
- Elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying Mct6's influence on cochlear stress resistance.
Main Methods:
- Generated Mct6-knockout (Mct6-KO) mice.
- Conducted physiological assessments of auditory function.
- Evaluated outer hair cell survival.
- Performed RNA-sequencing for transcriptomic profiling.
Main Results:
- Mct6 deficiency causes sex-dependent cochlear stress resistance.
- Female Mct6-KO mice showed early high-frequency hearing loss.
- Male Mct6-KO mice exhibited a transient protective phenotype.
- Outer hair cell loss was greater in females and reduced in males.
- Mct6 deletion altered estrogen-responsive genes and heat shock protein expression differently between sexes.
Conclusions:
- Mct6 is a critical, sex-dependent regulator of cochlear homeostasis.
- Mct6 influences auditory resilience through sex-specific molecular pathways.
- Understanding Mct6's role is vital for addressing hearing loss and inner ear degeneration.
