Manganese-mediated acceleration of age-related hearing loss in mice

Sci Rep. 2016 Nov 8:6:36306. doi: 10.1038/srep36306.

Abstract

Despite the fact that manganese (Mn) is known to be a neurotoxic element relevant to age-related disorders, the risk of oral exposure to Mn for age-related hearing loss remains unclear. In this study, we orally exposed wild-type young adult mice to Mn (Mn-exposed WT-mice) at 1.65 and 16.50 mg/L for 4 weeks. Mn-exposed WT-mice showed acceleration of age-related hearing loss. Mn-exposed WT-mice had neurodegeneration of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) with increased number of lipofuscin granules. Mn-exposed WT-mice also had increased hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (Hif-1α) protein with less hydroxylation at proline 564 and decreased c-Ret protein in SGNs. Mn-mediated acceleration of age-related hearing loss involving neurodegeneration of SGNs was rescued in RET-transgenic mice carrying constitutively activated RET. Thus, oral exposure to Mn accelerates age-related hearing loss in mice with Ret-mediated neurodegeneration of SGNs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / drug effects*
  • Aging / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Hearing Loss / chemically induced*
  • Hearing Loss / metabolism
  • Hearing Loss / pathology
  • Hydroxylation
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism*
  • Manganese / toxicity*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Nerve Degeneration
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proline / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret / metabolism*
  • Spiral Ganglion / drug effects
  • Spiral Ganglion / metabolism
  • Spiral Ganglion / pathology
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Hif1a protein, mouse
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • Manganese
  • Proline
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret
  • Ret protein, mouse