title: Neuroglobin immunoreactivity in the human cochlea.
abstract: Neuroglobin (Ngb) is an oxygen-binding protein with a demonstrated role in endogenous neuroprotective mechanisms. It has been shown to function as a scavenger for reactive oxidizing species thereby assisting in cellular defense against oxidative stress. In the present study, we characterized the presence of Ngb in the human cochlea. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on formalin fixed celloidin human cochlea sections obtained from human temporal bones, using affinity purified polyclonal antibodies against Ngb. Thirty-six temporal bones were analyzed, 15 with normal otologic histories and 21 diagnosed with different inner ear pathologies. Ngb immunoreactivity (Ngb-IR) was consistently expressed in the neurons of spiral ganglia (SG) and supporting cells of the organ of Corti. There was a significant decrease of Ngb-IR in SGNs from specimens with inner ear pathologies when compared to normal specimens. In contrast, Ngb-IR in the organ of Corti did not show significant changes between pathological and normal specimens. The differential pattern of Ngb expression in these cochlear structures suggests that Ngb may participate in defense mechanisms in inner ear pathologies where oxidative stress is involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1624, USA.
authors.forename: Nopawan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vorasubin
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1624, USA; Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1624, USA; Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1624, USA.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ishiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1624, USA.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1624, USA. Electronic address: ilopez@ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Ivan A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Lopez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003051:Cochlea / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005914:Globins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078787:Neuroglobin; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000078787:Neuroglobin; D005914:Globins
keywords: Human temporal bone; Inner ear; Neuroglobin; Oxidative stress; Spiral ganglia neuron