title: Differential Expression of Bcl-2 in the Cochlea and Auditory Cortex of a Mouse Model of Age-Related Hearing Loss.
abstract: Bcl-2, the first gene shown to be involved in apoptosis, is a potent regulator of cell survival and known to have protective effects against a variety of age-related diseases. However, the possible relationship between hearing and Bcl-2 expression in the cochlea or auditory cortex of C57BL/6 mice, a mouse model of age-related hearing loss, is still unknown. Using RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis, our results show that Bcl-2 is strongly expressed in the inner hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons of young mice. In addition, moderate Bcl-2 expression is also detected in the outer hair cells and in the neurons of the auditory cortex. A significant reduction of Bcl-2 expression in the cochlea or auditory cortex is also associated with elevated hearing thresholds and hair cell loss during aging. The expression pattern of Bcl-2 in the peripheral and central auditory systems suggests that Bcl-2 may play an important role in auditory function serving as a protective molecule against age-related hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qiuhong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Haidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yongkang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Suijun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yongyi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Yiqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003051:Cochlea / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D006199:Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner / Q000378:metabolism*; D018072:Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013136:Spiral Ganglion / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C052617:Bcl2 protein, mouse