Mammalin Cochlear Supporting Cells Transdifferentiation into Outer Hair Cells

Objective To study the recovery of the outer hair cells in the bat cochlea after gentamicin exposure. Methods Bats were injected with a daily dose of gentamicin for 15 consecutive days and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was given from day 16 to day 40 of this recovery phase. Hearing was assessed by overt acoustic behavior and auditory brainstem responses analysis, which was performed one day prior to the first injection and a day after the last injection (day 16). On day 40 animals were sacrificed for detection of cells that could take up BrdU. Results After 15 days of gentamicin treatment, all of the animals were proved to be deafened with significant increases of ABR thresholds, compared with control group. The findings in immunocytochemical stained samples and scanning electron microscopy revealed that BrdU labeled nuclei were observed in the cochlea in all of the deafened animals most commonly in the regions of the first-row and second-row Deiter's cells (DCs) and occasionally in the regions of the third-row DCs. Conclusion We suggest that, under sufficient drug and enough time, the bat cochlear supporting cells can directly transdifferentiate into the outer hair cells after aminoglycoside exposure. This transdifferentation process is essential for repair of outer hair cells and recovery of normal function after gentamicin exposure.