Identifying MicroRNAs Involved in Degeneration of the Organ of Corti during Age-Related Hearing Loss

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062786
• Publication Date: 2013-05-02T00:27:40Z
• Authors: Qian Zhang; Huizhan Liu; JoAnn McGee; Edward J. Walsh; Garrett A. Soukup; David Z. Z. He
• Keywords: Presbycusis; Senescence

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of short non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression mRNA targets, are important regulators cellular senescence and aging. We questioned which miRNAs involved in age-related degeneration organ Corti (OC), auditory sensory epithelium transduces mechanical stimuli to electrical activity inner ear. Degeneration OC is generally accepted as main cause hearing loss (ARHL), progressive individuals they grow older. To determine onset progression ARHL, miRNA gene two mouse strains, C57BL/6J CBA/J, was compared at three different ages using GeneChip microarray validated by real-time PCR. showed 111 71 exhibited differential C57 CBA mice, respectively, downregulated substantially outnumbered upregulated during had approximately 2-fold upregulation included members miR-29 family miR-34 family, known pro-apoptotic pathways. In contrast, were about miR-181 miR-183 be for proliferation differentiation, respectively. The shift favoring apoptosis occurred earlier than detectable threshold elevation hair cell loss. Our study suggests changes precede morphological functional changes, downregulation promoting differentiation both OC.