Differential gene expression in the rat cochlea after exposure to impulse noise

Neuroscience. 2006 Oct 13;142(2):425-35. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.06.037. Epub 2006 Aug 2.

Abstract

Understanding the molecular biology of noise trauma is vital to developing effective and timely interventions. In a model of explosion-mediated impulse noise injury, differential gene expression was studied in whole rat cochlea preparations at 3 and 24 h following the exposure. We developed a technique using mRNA from a single cochlea on each oligonucleotide microarray to avoid pooling of mRNA samples. Application of a conservative statistical analysis approach resulted in the identification of 61 differentially expressed genes. Within 3 h after the exposure, there was an up-regulation of immediate early genes, mainly transcription factors and genes involved in the tissue's response to oxidative stress. No genes were found to be significantly down-regulated. At 24 h following the exposure, up-regulated genes included members of inflammatory and antioxidant pathways and one gene involved in glutathione metabolism was down-regulated. A subset of genes was confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The present study demonstrates the power of the microarray technique in providing a global view of the gene regulation following noise exposure, and in identifying genes that may be mechanistically important in hearing loss, and thereby serve as a basis for the development of therapeutic interventions.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation / methods
  • Animals
  • Cochlea / metabolism*
  • Cochlea / radiation effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression / physiology*
  • Gene Expression / radiation effects
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / radiation effects
  • Noise*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / methods
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods

Substances

  • RNA, Messenger