Degradation and modification of cochlear gap junction proteins in the early development of age-related hearing loss

Abstract

Hearing loss: Disruption at the junction A decrease in the levels of connexin proteins at the junctions connecting cells in the inner-ear precedes age-related hearing loss (ARHL) in mice. Loss of hearing in the elderly is a growing problem in ageing populations. Although mutations in genes encoding connexins have been associated with hereditary hearing loss, their role in ARHL is poorly understood. Kazusaku Kamiya and colleagues at Juntendo University, Tokyo, found that the levels of connexin 26 and connexin 30 were significantly reduced in the cochlea in the inner ear of 32-week old mice compared to 4-week old mice. Connexin 26 also became less soluble with age. The authors suggest that these changes could lead to the degeneration and loss of function of hair cells in the cochlea, and that targeting connexin 26 could lead to new therapies for ARHL.