Deletion of Clusterin Protects Cochlear Hair Cells against Hair Cell Aging and Ototoxicity

Hearing loss is a debilitating disease that affects 10% of adults worldwide. Most sensorineural hearing loss is caused by the loss of mechanosensitive hair cells in the cochlea, often due to aging, noise, and ototoxic drugs. The identification of genes that can be targeted to slow aging and reduce t...

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Main Authors: Xiaochang Zhao, Heidi J. Henderson, Tianying Wang, Bo Liu, Yi Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9979157
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author Xiaochang Zhao
Heidi J. Henderson
Tianying Wang
Bo Liu
Yi Li
author_facet Xiaochang Zhao
Heidi J. Henderson
Tianying Wang
Bo Liu
Yi Li
author_sort Xiaochang Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Hearing loss is a debilitating disease that affects 10% of adults worldwide. Most sensorineural hearing loss is caused by the loss of mechanosensitive hair cells in the cochlea, often due to aging, noise, and ototoxic drugs. The identification of genes that can be targeted to slow aging and reduce the vulnerability of hair cells to insults is critical for the prevention of sensorineural hearing loss. Our previous cell-specific transcriptome analysis of adult cochlear hair cells and supporting cells showed that Clu, encoding a secreted chaperone that is involved in several basic biological events, such as cell death, tumor progression, and neurodegenerative disorders, is expressed in hair cells and supporting cells. We generated Clu-null mice (C57BL/6) to investigate its role in the organ of Corti, the sensory epithelium responsible for hearing in the mammalian cochlea. We showed that the deletion of Clu did not affect the development of hair cells and supporting cells; hair cells and supporting cells appeared normal at 1 month of age. Auditory function tests showed that Clu-null mice had hearing thresholds comparable to those of wild-type littermates before 3 months of age. Interestingly, Clu-null mice displayed less hair cell and hearing loss compared to their wildtype littermates after 3 months. Furthermore, the deletion of Clu is protected against aminoglycoside-induced hair cell loss in both in vivo and in vitro models. Our findings suggested that the inhibition of Clu expression could represent a potential therapeutic strategy for the alleviation of age-related and ototoxic drug-induced hearing loss.
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spelling doaj-art-f1c20fc259b9452aad6f4d3eaac47fbb2025-08-20T02:21:53ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432021-01-01202110.1155/2021/99791579979157Deletion of Clusterin Protects Cochlear Hair Cells against Hair Cell Aging and OtotoxicityXiaochang Zhao0Heidi J. Henderson1Tianying Wang2Bo Liu3Yi Li4Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska 68178, USADepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaHearing loss is a debilitating disease that affects 10% of adults worldwide. Most sensorineural hearing loss is caused by the loss of mechanosensitive hair cells in the cochlea, often due to aging, noise, and ototoxic drugs. The identification of genes that can be targeted to slow aging and reduce the vulnerability of hair cells to insults is critical for the prevention of sensorineural hearing loss. Our previous cell-specific transcriptome analysis of adult cochlear hair cells and supporting cells showed that Clu, encoding a secreted chaperone that is involved in several basic biological events, such as cell death, tumor progression, and neurodegenerative disorders, is expressed in hair cells and supporting cells. We generated Clu-null mice (C57BL/6) to investigate its role in the organ of Corti, the sensory epithelium responsible for hearing in the mammalian cochlea. We showed that the deletion of Clu did not affect the development of hair cells and supporting cells; hair cells and supporting cells appeared normal at 1 month of age. Auditory function tests showed that Clu-null mice had hearing thresholds comparable to those of wild-type littermates before 3 months of age. Interestingly, Clu-null mice displayed less hair cell and hearing loss compared to their wildtype littermates after 3 months. Furthermore, the deletion of Clu is protected against aminoglycoside-induced hair cell loss in both in vivo and in vitro models. Our findings suggested that the inhibition of Clu expression could represent a potential therapeutic strategy for the alleviation of age-related and ototoxic drug-induced hearing loss.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9979157
spellingShingle Xiaochang Zhao
Heidi J. Henderson
Tianying Wang
Bo Liu
Yi Li
Deletion of Clusterin Protects Cochlear Hair Cells against Hair Cell Aging and Ototoxicity
Neural Plasticity
title Deletion of Clusterin Protects Cochlear Hair Cells against Hair Cell Aging and Ototoxicity
title_full Deletion of Clusterin Protects Cochlear Hair Cells against Hair Cell Aging and Ototoxicity
title_fullStr Deletion of Clusterin Protects Cochlear Hair Cells against Hair Cell Aging and Ototoxicity
title_full_unstemmed Deletion of Clusterin Protects Cochlear Hair Cells against Hair Cell Aging and Ototoxicity
title_short Deletion of Clusterin Protects Cochlear Hair Cells against Hair Cell Aging and Ototoxicity
title_sort deletion of clusterin protects cochlear hair cells against hair cell aging and ototoxicity
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/9979157
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AT tianyingwang deletionofclusterinprotectscochlearhaircellsagainsthaircellagingandototoxicity
AT boliu deletionofclusterinprotectscochlearhaircellsagainsthaircellagingandototoxicity
AT yili deletionofclusterinprotectscochlearhaircellsagainsthaircellagingandototoxicity