scholarly journals Evaluation of the Hair Cell Regeneration in Zebrafish Larvae by Measuring and Quantifying the Startle Responses

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changquan Wang ◽  
Zhenmin Zhong ◽  
Peng Sun ◽  
Hanbing Zhong ◽  
Hongzhe Li ◽  
...  

The zebrafish has become an established model organism for the study of hearing and balance systems in the past two decades. The classical approach to examine hair cells is to use dye to conduct selective staining, which shows the number and morphology of hair cells but does not reveal their function. Startle response is a behavior closely related to the auditory function of hair cells; therefore it can be used to measure the function of hair cells. In this study, we developed a device to measure the startle response of zebrafish larvae. By applying various levels of stimulus, it showed that the system can discern a 10 dB difference. The hair cell in zebrafish can regenerate after damage due to noise exposure or drug treatment. With this device, we measured the startle response of zebrafish larvae during and after drug treatment. The results show a similar trend to the classical hair cell staining method. The startle response was reduced with drug treatment and recovered after removal of the drug. Together it demonstrated the capability of this behavioral assay in evaluating the hair cell functions of fish larvae and its potential as a high-throughput screening tool for auditory-related gene and drug discovery.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Jason Qian ◽  
Anthony J. Ricci

AbstractCurrent clinical interest lies in the relationship between hearing loss and cognitive impairment. Previous work demonstrated that noise exposure, a common cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), leads to cognitive impairments in mice. However, in noise-induced models, it is difficult to distinguish the effects of noise trauma from subsequent SNHL on central processes. Here, we use cochlear hair cell ablation to isolate the effects of SNHL. Cochlear hair cells were conditionally and selectively ablated in mature, transgenic mice where the human diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor was expressed behind the hair-cell specific Pou4f3 promoter. Due to higher Pou4f3 expression in cochlear hair cells than vestibular hair cells, administration of a low dose of DT caused profound SNHL without vestibular dysfunction and had no effect on wild-type (WT) littermates. Spatial learning/memory was assayed using an automated radial 8-arm maze (RAM), where mice were trained to find food rewards over a 14-day period. The number of working memory errors (WME) and reference memory errors (RME) per training day were recorded. All animals were injected with DT during P30–60 and underwent the RAM assay during P90–120. SNHL animals committed more WME and RME than WT animals, demonstrating that isolated SNHL affected cognitive function. Duration of SNHL (60 versus 90 days post DT injection) had no effect on RAM performance. However, younger age of acquired SNHL (DT on P30 versus P60) was associated with fewer WME. This describes the previously undocumented effect of isolated SNHL on cognitive processes that do not directly rely on auditory sensory input.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler T. Hickman ◽  
Ken Hashimoto ◽  
Leslie D. Liberman ◽  
M. Charles Liberman

AbstractOverexposure to intense noise can destroy the synapses between auditory nerve fibers and their hair cell targets without destroying the hair cells themselves. In adult mice, this synaptopathy is immediate and largely irreversible, whereas, in guinea pigs, counts of immunostained synaptic puncta can recover with increasing post-exposure survival. Here, we asked whether this recovery simply reflects changes in synaptic immunostaining, or whether there is actual retraction and extension of neurites and/or synaptogenesis. Analysis of the numbers, sizes and spatial distribution of pre- and post-synaptic markers on cochlear inner hair cells, in guinea pigs surviving from 1 day to 6 months after a synaptopathic exposure, shows dramatic synaptic re-organization during the recovery period in which synapse counts recover from 16 to 91% of normal in the most affected regions. Synaptic puncta move all over the hair cell membrane during recovery, translocating far from their normal positions at the basolateral pole, and auditory-nerve terminals extend towards the hair cell’s apical end to re-establish contact with them. These observations provide stronger evidence for spontaneous neural regeneration in a mature mammalian cochlea than can be inferred from synaptic counts alone.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (21) ◽  
pp. E4853-E4860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinkyung Kim ◽  
Anping Xia ◽  
Nicolas Grillet ◽  
Brian E. Applegate ◽  
John S. Oghalai

Traumatic noise causes hearing loss by damaging sensory hair cells and their auditory synapses. There are no treatments. Here, we investigated mice exposed to a blast wave approximating a roadside bomb. In vivo cochlear imaging revealed an increase in the volume of endolymph, the fluid within scala media, termed endolymphatic hydrops. Endolymphatic hydrops, hair cell loss, and cochlear synaptopathy were initiated by trauma to the mechanosensitive hair cell stereocilia and were K+-dependent. Increasing the osmolality of the adjacent perilymph treated endolymphatic hydrops and prevented synaptopathy, but did not prevent hair cell loss. Conversely, inducing endolymphatic hydrops in control mice by lowering perilymph osmolality caused cochlear synaptopathy that was glutamate-dependent, but did not cause hair cell loss. Thus, endolymphatic hydrops is a surrogate marker for synaptic bouton swelling after hair cells release excitotoxic levels of glutamate. Because osmotic stabilization prevents neural damage, it is a potential treatment to reduce hearing loss after noise exposure.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Holmgren ◽  
Lavinia Sheets

Noise exposure is particularly stressful to hair-cell mitochondria, which must produce enough energy to meet high metabolic demands as well as regulate local intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. Mitochondrial Inner Membrane Protein 17 (Mpv17) functions as a non-selective cation channel and plays a role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. In zebrafish, hair cells in mpv17a9/a9 mutants displayed elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), elevated mitochondrial calcium, hyperpolarized transmembrane potential, and greater vulnerability to neomycin, indicating impaired mitochondrial function. Using a strong water current to overstimulate hair cells in the zebrafish lateral line, we observed mpv17a9/a9 mutant hair cells were more vulnerable to morphological disruption than wild type (WT) siblings simultaneously exposed to the same stimulus. To determine the role of mitochondrial homeostasis on hair-cell synapse integrity, we surveyed synapse number in mpv17a9/a9 mutants and WT siblings as well as the sizes of presynaptic dense bodies (ribbons) and postsynaptic densities immediately following stimulus exposure. We observed mechanically injured mpv17a9/a9 neuromasts were not more vulnerable to synapse loss; they lost a similar number of synapses per hair cell relative to WT. Additionally, we quantified the size of hair cell pre- and postsynaptic structures following stimulation and observed significantly enlarged WT postsynaptic densities, yet relatively little change in the size of mpv17a9/a9 postsynaptic densities following stimulation. These results suggest chronically impaired hair-cell mitochondrial activity influences postsynaptic size under homeostatic conditions but does not exacerbate synapse loss following mechanical injury.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1451
Author(s):  
Ru Zhang ◽  
Xiaopeng Liu ◽  
Yajuan Li ◽  
Ming Wang ◽  
Lin Chen ◽  
...  

Cochlear hair cells in human beings cannot regenerate after loss; however, those in fish and other lower species can. Recently, the role of inflammation in hair cell regeneration has been attracting the attention of scientists. In the present study, we investigated how suppression of inflammatory factors affects hair cell regeneration and the functional recovery of regenerated hair cells in zebrafish. We killed hair cells in the lateral line of zebrafish larvae with CuSO4 to induce an inflammatory response and coapplied BRS-28, an anti-inflammatory agent to suppress the inflammation. The recovery of the hair cell number and rheotaxis was slower when CuSO4 and BRS-28 were coapplied than when CuSO4 was applied alone. The recovery of hair cell count lagged behind that of the calcium imaging signal during the regeneration. The calcium imaging signal in the neuromasts in the inflammation-inhibited group was weaker than that in the noninflammation-inhibited group at the early stage of regeneration, although it returned to normal at the late stage. Our study demonstrates that suppressing inflammation by BRS-28 delays hair cell regeneration and functional recovery when hair cells are damaged. We suspect that BRS-28 inhibits pro-inflammatory factors and thereby reduces the migration of macrophages to delay the regeneration of hair cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Minfei Qian ◽  
Qixuan Wang ◽  
Zhongying Wang ◽  
Qingping Ma ◽  
Xueling Wang ◽  
...  

It is widely accepted that even a single acute noise exposure at moderate intensity that induces temporary threshold shift (TTS) can result in permanent loss of ribbon synapses between inner hair cells and afferents. However, effects of repeated or chronic noise exposures on the cochlear synapses especially medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent synapses remain elusive. Based on a weeklong repeated exposure model of bandwidth noise over 2-20 kHz for 2 hours at seven intensities (88 to 106 dB SPL with 3 dB increment per gradient) on C57BL/6J mice, we attempted to explore the dose-response mechanism of prolonged noise-induced audiological dysfunction and cochlear synaptic degeneration. In our results, mice repeatedly exposed to relatively low-intensity noise (88, 91, and 94 dB SPL) showed few changes on auditory brainstem response (ABR), ribbon synapses, or MOC efferent synapses. Notably, repeated moderate-intensity noise exposures (97 and 100 dB SPL) not only caused hearing threshold shifts and the inner hair cell ribbon synaptopathy but also impaired MOC efferent synapses, which might contribute to complex patterns of damages on cochlear function and morphology. However, repeated high-intensity (103 and 106 dB SPL) noise exposures induced PTSs mainly accompanied by damages on cochlear amplifier function of outer hair cells and the inner hair cell ribbon synaptopathy, rather than the MOC efferent synaptic degeneration. Moreover, we observed a frequency-dependent vulnerability of the repeated acoustic trauma-induced cochlear synaptic degeneration. This study provides a sight into the hypothesis that noise-induced cochlear synaptic degeneration involves both afferent (ribbon synapses) and efferent (MOC terminals) pathology. The pattern of dose-dependent pathological changes induced by repeated noise exposure at various intensities provides a possible explanation for the complicated cochlear synaptic degeneration in humans. The underlying mechanisms remain to be studied in the future.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Holmgren ◽  
Lavinia Sheets

AbstractNoise exposure is particularly stressful to hair-cell mitochondria, which must produce enough energy to meet high metabolic demands as well as regulate local intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. Mitochondrial Inner Membrane Protein 17 (Mpv17) functions as a non-selective channel and plays a role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. In zebrafish, hair cells in mpv17a9/a9 mutants displayed elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), elevated mitochondrial calcium, hyperpolarized transmembrane potential, and greater vulnerability to neomycin, indicating impaired mitochondrial function. Using a strong water current to overstimulate hair cells in the zebrafish lateral line, we observed mpv17a9/a9 mutant hair cells were more vulnerable to morphological disruption and hair-cell loss than wild type siblings simultaneously exposed to the same stimulus. To determine the role of mitochondrial homeostasis on hair-cell synapse integrity, we surveyed synapse number in mpv17a9/a9 mutants and wild type siblings as well as the sizes of presynaptic dense bodies (ribbons) and postsynaptic densities immediately following stimulus exposure. We observed mechanically injured mpv17a9/a9 neuromasts, while they lost a greater number of hair cells, lost a similar number of synapses per hair cell relative to wild type. Additionally, we quantified the size of hair cell pre- and postsynaptic structures and observed significantly enlarged wild type postsynaptic densities, yet relatively little change in the size of mpv17a9/a9 postsynaptic densities following stimulation. These results suggest impaired hair-cell mitochondrial activity influences synaptic morphology and hair-cell survival but does not exacerbate synapse loss following mechanical injury.


1992 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
pp. 671-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.S. Stone ◽  
D.A. Cotanche

Pure-tone overstimulation for prolonged time leads to hair cell death in frequency-specific regions of the cochlear epithelium. Unlike mammals, birds replace missing hair cells by stimulating mitosis in an uncharacterized precursor cell. Regenerated hair cells, initially identifiable by their immature stereocilia and small surface areas, differentiate into mature cells in a manner which parallels embryonic development. In the current study, we examined whether hair cell regeneration is initiated during noise exposure or after the end of acoustic trauma. We exposed 7-to 15-day-old chicks to a 1500 Hz pure tone at 120 dB SPL (re 20 muPa) for 4, 12, and 24 hours and examined the recovering cochlear epithelium with scanning electron microscopy to determine when regenerated hair cells were first identifiable. The earliest evidence of new hair cells appeared roughly 96 hours after the onset of 4-, 12-, and 24-hour exposures. Our previous studies initially identified new hair cells 96 hours after the start of a 48-hour exposure. Therefore, hair cell regeneration follows a similar time course relative to the onset of noise exposure, regardless of the ultimate duration of exposure. Since we estimate that hair cells take at least 48 hours after their genesis to form immature stereocilia, the signal which induces hair cell precursors to re-enter the cell cycle and to divide probably has its initial effects very early during the exposure period. (A previous report of these data was given at the 1991 American Society for Cell Biology conference.)


2019 ◽  
Vol 98 (9) ◽  
pp. NP131-NP137
Author(s):  
Jihye Rhee ◽  
Eunjung Han ◽  
Yoon Chan Rah ◽  
Saemi Park ◽  
Soonil Koun ◽  
...  

Use of rigid endoscopes has become widespread in middle ear surgeries, thereby attracting attention to the safety of antifog agents. However, few studies on the ototoxicity of antifog agents have been conducted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate hair cell damage and the underlying mechanisms caused by antifog agents using zebrafish larvae. We exposed zebrafish larvae at 3 days postfertilization to various concentrations of the antifog agent, Ultrastop (0.01, 0.02, 0.04, and 0.08%) for 72 hours. The average number of hair cells within 4 neuromasts of larvae, including supraorbital (SO1 and SO2), otic (O1), and occipital (OC1), in the control group were compared to those in the exposure groups. Significant hair cell loss was observed in the experimental groups compared to that in the control group ( P < .01; control: 53.88 ± 4.85, 0.01%: 45.08 ± 11.70, 0.02%: 41.36 ± 12.00, 0.04%: 35.36 ± 16.18, and 0.08%: 15.60 ± 7.53 cells). Concentration-dependent increase in hair cell apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (TDT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay (control: 0.00 ± 0.00, 0.01%: 3.48 ± 2.18, 0.02%: 9.64 ± 5.75, 0.04%: 17.72 ± 6.26, and 0.08%: 14.60 ± 8.18 cells) and decrease in the viability of hair cell mitochondria by 2-(4-[dimethylamino] styryl)-N-ethylpyridinium iodide assay (control: 9.61 ± 1.47, 0.01%: 8.28 ± 2.22, 0.02%: 8.45 ± 2.72, 0.04%: 7.25 ± 2.44, and 0.08%: 6.77 ± 3.26 percentage of total area) were observed. Antifog agent exposure can cause hair cell damage in zebrafish larvae, possibly by induction of mitochondrial damage with subsequent apoptosis of hair cells.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0251412
Author(s):  
Joyshree Biswas ◽  
Robert S. Pijewski ◽  
Rohit Makol ◽  
Tania G. Miramontes ◽  
Brianna L. Thompson ◽  
...  

Hearing depends on the transduction of sounds into neural signals by the inner hair cells of the cochlea. Cochleae also have outer hair cells with unique electromotile properties that increase auditory sensitivity, but they are particularly susceptible to damage by intense noise exposure, ototoxic drugs, and aging. Although the outer hair cells have synapses on afferent neurons that project to the brain, the function of this neuronal circuit is unclear. Here, we created a novel mouse allele that inserts a fluorescent reporter at the C1ql1 locus which revealed gene expression in the outer hair cells and allowed creation of outer hair cell-specific C1ql1 knockout mice. We found that C1ql1 expression in outer hair cells corresponds to areas with the most sensitive frequencies of the mouse audiogram, and that it has an unexpected adolescence-onset developmental timing. No expression was observed in the inner hair cells. Since C1QL1 in the brain is made by neurons, transported anterogradely in axons, and functions in the synaptic cleft, C1QL1 may serve a similar function at the outer hair cell afferent synapse. Histological analyses revealed that C1ql1 conditional knockout cochleae may have reduced outer hair cell afferent synapse maintenance. However, auditory behavioral and physiological assays did not reveal a compelling phenotype. Nonetheless, this study identifies a potentially useful gene expressed in the cochlea and opens the door for future studies aimed at elucidating the function of C1QL1 and the function of the outer hair cell and its afferent neurons.


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