Quercetin protects against hair cell loss in the zebrafish lateral line and guinea pig cochlea

• Published in: Hearing research Vol. 342; pp. 80 - 85
• Main Authors: Hirose, Yoshinobu, Sugahara, Kazuma, Kanagawa, Eiju, Takemoto, Yousuke, Hashimoto, Makoto, Yamashita, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2016
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - metabolism; Auditory Threshold - drug effects; Cochlear protection; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem - drug effects; Guinea Pigs; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer - drug effects; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer - pathology; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer - physiology; Lateral Line System - drug effects; Lateral Line System - pathology; Lateral Line System - physiopathology; Male; Neomycin - administration & dosage; Neomycin - toxicity; Noise - adverse effects; Noise trauma; Oxidation; Protective Agents - administration & dosage; Protective Agents - pharmacology; Quercetin - administration & dosage; Quercetin - pharmacology; Screening; Zebrafish; Screening; Zebrafish; Cochlear protection; Oxidation; Noise trauma
• ISSN: 0378-5955; 1878-5891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2016.10.001

Eighteen supplement drugs were screened using hair cells to determine a protective effect against the adverse effects of neomycin by using the zebrafish lateral line. The zebrafish were administered the supplement drugs 1 h before neomycin exposure. One hour later, animals were fixed in paraformaldehyde. Dose-response curves were generated to evaluate the protective effect on hair cells. The screen identified 3 supplements (quercetin, catechin and tannic acid). Three minutes after exposure to neomycin, increased antioxidant activity was found in the lateral line hair cells, as determined by the analysis of oxidative stress. Quercetin decreases antioxidant activity. The identified drugs were also investigated to determine whether they protect the cochlea against noise-induced hearing loss in guinea pigs. The drugs were administered via the intraperitoneal route in the guinea pigs 3 days before and 4 days after noise exposure. Seven days after noise exposure (130-dB sound pressure level for 3 h), the auditory brainstem response threshold shifts were assessed. We observed that the auditory brainstem response threshold shift was significantly less in the quercetin group than in the vehicle control group. The results of our study indicate that screening drugs using zebrafish can determine additional protective drugs for the inner ear. •The protective effects of 18 supplements were screened using the zebrafish lateral line hair cells.•We have successfully identified 3 of 18 supplements (qercetin, catechin and tannic acid).•Qercetin can protect cochlea against noise exposure in rodent.