Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2008 Apr;51(4):312-318.

Expression Patterns of KCNJ10 K+ Channel in the Cochlear Lateral Wall After Acoustic Trauma

• Koo BS
• Kim AY
• Park JY
• Lee SH
• Kim JM
• Kim YM
• Rha KS
• Park YH

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is well known that noise exposure leads to the sensory hair cell loss and other neuronal damage in the cochlea. But recently it has been reported that noise exposure could also damage lateral wall of cochlea such as stria vascularis and spiral ligament. K+ is the major cation in endolymph and important to maintain homeostasis within the cochlea. We have investigated the expression patterns of KCNJ10 K+ channel in noise induced cochlear damage. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Twenty adult male guinea pigs (300-350 g) were included in this study. In experimental group (n=16), acoustic trauma was induced by continuous broad band noise for 2 hr to 115 dB SPL and broad band noise for 6 hr to 120 dB SPL with 3 consecutive days. After noise exposure, auditory brainstem response threshold shift and hair cell loss were evaluated. A study for KCNJ10 K+ channel expression was examined by immunohistochemical staining.
RESULTS
After noise exposure, auditory brainstem response showed transient threshold shift (TTS) and permanent threshold shift (PTS) in accordance with noise exposure. The expression patterns of CKNJ10 K+ channel were changeable in TTS group. But there were no change of expression patterns in PTS group.
CONCLUSION
In the cochlear lateral wall, KCNJ10 K+ channel expressions were affected with noise exposure and these changes might be associated with the regulation of homeostasis in the cochlea lateral wall.

Keyword

Noise; Cochlea; KCNJ10

MeSH Terms

Acoustics
Adult
Animals
Cochlea
Endolymph
Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem
Guinea Pigs
Hair
Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced
Homeostasis
Humans
Male
Neurons
Noise
ortho-Aminobenzoates
Spiral Ligament of Cochlea
Stria Vascularis
ortho-Aminobenzoates