title: Increased endothelial progenitor cell circulation and VEGF production in a rat model of noise-induced hearing loss.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated mechanism of endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) mobilization, migration, and differentiation may occur in response to noise-induced acoustic trauma of the cochlea, leading to the protection of cochlear function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to analyze changes in the cochlear vessel under an intensive noise environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups. Acoustic trauma was induced by 120 dB SPL white noise for 4 h. Auditory function was evaluated by the auditory brainstem response threshold. Morphological changes of the cochleae, the expression of VEGF, and the circulation of EPCs in the peripheral blood were studied by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vascular recovery of the cochlea began after noise exposure. The change in the number of EPCs was consistent with the expression of VEGF at different time points after noise exposure. We propose that VEGF evokes specific permeable and chemotactic effects on the vascular endothelial cells. These effects can mobilize EPCs into the peripheral blood, leading the EPCs to target damaged sites and to exert a neoangiogenic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Huifang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jianning
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003051:Cochlea / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D066026:Endothelial Progenitor Cells; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011897:Random Allocation; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse
keywords: Cochlea; acoustic trauma; cochlear blood flow; neoangiogenic effect