Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
06:07
Isolation and Culture of Primary Cochlear Hair Cells from Neonatal Mice
Published on: September 15, 2023
Diabetic Hyperglycemia Induces Region-Specific Transcriptomic Remodeling in the Cochlea
Ting-Yu Chang1, Cheng-Tien Wu2, Fong-Ling Chung3
1Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10051, Taiwan.
Genes
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Diabetes causes hearing loss by altering cochlear gene expression. This study found region-specific molecular changes in the diabetic cochlea, impacting auditory function.
Area of Science:
- Oto-genomics
- Molecular biology
- Diabetes research
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus is linked to sensorineural hearing loss.
- Cochlear molecular changes in diabetic hearing loss are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate auditory function in a diabetic mouse model.
- To characterize region-specific transcriptomic alterations in the diabetic cochlea.
Main Methods:
- Streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes in mice.
- Auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing for auditory function.
- RNA sequencing of micro-dissected cochlear regions (modiolus, lateral wall, organ of Corti).
Main Results:
- Diabetic mice exhibited elevated ABR thresholds.
- Significant, region-specific transcriptomic changes were observed, particularly in the lateral wall.
- A shared transcriptional signature of 32 upregulated and 2 downregulated genes was identified across cochlear regions.
- Gene Ontology analysis revealed enrichment in immune, inflammatory, metabolic stress, and membrane-associated signaling pathways.
Conclusions:
- Diabetes induces auditory dysfunction and distinct molecular changes in the cochlea.
- Findings provide a valuable transcriptomic resource for studying diabetes-associated hearing loss.
- Future research should involve larger cohorts, molecular validation, and cell-type-specific analyses.
Related Concept Videos
01:58Cell Specific Gene Expression
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
01:29Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose levels exceed 180 mg/dL two...
01:13The Cochlea
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
01:27Diabetic Retinopathy
DefinitionDiabetic retinopathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes affecting the retinal blood vessels.Risk FactorsDiabetic retinopathy is present in almost all individuals with type 1 diabetes and more than 60% of those with type 2 diabetes after two decades of disease.The risk increases with poor glycemic control, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, pregnancy, and puberty.Although cataracts and glaucoma are also more frequent in people with diabetes, retinopathy remains the leading...
01:22Hair Cells
Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.
01:26Type II Diabetes I: Introduction
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance, in which target tissues such as the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue respond poorly to insulin. It is also associated with inadequate compensatory insulin secretion, where pancreatic β-cells fail to produce sufficient insulin. Together, these abnormalities lead to persistent hyperglycemia.EtiologyT2DM develops through a complex interaction of genetic predisposition and environmental or...