Variation in Inter-Animal Susceptibility to Noise Damage Is Associated with alpha 9 Acetylcholine Receptor Subunit Expression Level

• Published in: The Journal of neuroscience Vol. 22; no. 10; pp. 4241 - 4247
• Main Authors: Luebke, Anne E, Foster, Paul K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Soc Neuroscience 15.05.2002
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Adaptation, Physiological; Animals; Blotting, Western; Cochlea - cytology; Cochlea - metabolism; Disease Susceptibility - metabolism; Efferent Pathways - physiology; Genetic Variation; Guinea Pigs; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner - cytology; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner - metabolism; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer - cytology; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer - metabolism; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced - etiology; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry; Noise - adverse effects; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; Predictive Value of Tests; Protein Subunits; Receptors, Nicotinic - metabolism; Reflex, Acoustic - physiology
• ISSN: 0270-6474; 1529-2401
• DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-10-04241.2002

Large intersubject variabilities in acoustic injury are known to occur in both humans and animals; however, the mechanisms underlying such differences are poorly understood. The olivocochlear efferent system has been hypothesized to play a significant role in protecting the cochlea from noise overexposure. In this study, we demonstrate that a newly developed test for determining average efferent system strength can predict intersubject variations in acoustic injury. In addition, the intersubject variability in cochlear expression of the alpha9 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor was found to be proportional to an animals average efferent strength. Therefore, the inter-animal variability in the alpha9-containing acetylcholine receptor expression may be one mechanism contributing to the inter-animal variability in acoustic injury.