mRNA Abundance of Neurogenic Factors Correlates with Hearing Capacity in Auditory Brainstem Nuclei of the Rat
Jonas Engert,
Julia Doll,
Barbara Vona,
Totta Ehret Kasemo,
Bjoern Spahn,
Rudolf Hagen,
Kristen Rak,
Johannes Voelker
Affiliations
Jonas Engert
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 11, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Julia Doll
Institute of Pathology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Barbara Vona
Institute for Auditory Neuroscience and InnerEarLab, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
Totta Ehret Kasemo
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 11, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Bjoern Spahn
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 11, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Rudolf Hagen
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 11, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Kristen Rak
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 11, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Johannes Voelker
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 11, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
Neural stem cells (NSCs) have previously been described up to the adult stage in the rat cochlear nucleus (CN). A decreasing neurogenic potential was observed with critical changes around hearing onset. A better understanding of molecular factors affecting NSCs and neurogenesis is of interest as they represent potential targets to treat the cause of neurologically based hearing disorders. The role of genes affecting NSC development and neurogenesis in CN over time on hearing capacity has remained unclear. This study investigated the mRNA abundance of genes influencing NSCs and neurogenesis in rats’ CN over time. The CN of rats on postnatal days 6, 12, and 24 were examined. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction arrays were used to compare mRNA levels of 84 genes relevant to NSCs and neurogenesis. Age- and hearing-specific patterns of changes in mRNA abundance of neurogenically relevant genes were detected in the rat CN. Additionally, crucial neurogenic factors with significant and relevant influence on neurogenesis were identified. The results of this work should contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the neurogenesis of the auditory pathway.
