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Early-life inflammatory events: a risk factor for hearing loss in later life

Early-life inflammatory events: a risk factor for hearing loss in later life
Early-life inflammatory events: a risk factor for hearing loss in later life
Age-related hearing loss is a progressive, degenerative condition that affects 50% of individuals over 70. Hearing loss is one of the greatest risk factors for dementia. Lifestyle including smoking, diet and medical history are all associated with susceptibility to loss of hearing with age. We hypothesise that the association between early-life inflammatory events and hearing loss is due to priming of innate immune cells in the auditory system.

Otitis media is a chronic early-life inflammatory condition of the middle ear that is associated with recurrent infection. Using a mouse model for otitis media, we are investigating how immune cells in the auditory pathway respond in otitis media and how this is altered when overlaid with an infection (Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae - NTHi).

Immunohistochemical staining identified that otitis media caused increased microglial activation in the auditory system. When overlaid with infection, this response was exacerbated as evidenced by increased Il-1 production and greater susceptibility to infection with NTHi.

These results identify that pre-existing middle ear inflammation alters the phenotype of innate immune cells in the auditory system resulting in a heightened inflammatory response to an additional insult. This could lead to greater damage in the auditory pathway and subsequent hearing loss.
Hough, Katie
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Sanderson, Alan
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Watson, Evie
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Hood, Derek W.
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Verschuur, Carl
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Newman, Tracey
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Hough, Katie
81d8630c-6e02-4bea-858a-377717476f6e
Sanderson, Alan
ea92395a-998b-4bbb-ba91-24b2b1d4f6aa
Watson, Evie
07ce605d-941d-4cd4-b06a-d5e9b41acc13
Hood, Derek W.
f9ec1f2c-0867-4cc3-8157-1f739cb1f774
Verschuur, Carl
5e15ee1c-3a44-4dbe-ad43-ec3b50111e41
Newman, Tracey
322290cb-2e9c-445d-a047-00b1bea39a25

Hough, Katie, Sanderson, Alan, Watson, Evie, Hood, Derek W., Verschuur, Carl and Newman, Tracey (2019) Early-life inflammatory events: a risk factor for hearing loss in later life. 17th Southampton Neurosciences conference: The Neuroscience of Lifelong Illness.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)

Abstract

Age-related hearing loss is a progressive, degenerative condition that affects 50% of individuals over 70. Hearing loss is one of the greatest risk factors for dementia. Lifestyle including smoking, diet and medical history are all associated with susceptibility to loss of hearing with age. We hypothesise that the association between early-life inflammatory events and hearing loss is due to priming of innate immune cells in the auditory system.

Otitis media is a chronic early-life inflammatory condition of the middle ear that is associated with recurrent infection. Using a mouse model for otitis media, we are investigating how immune cells in the auditory pathway respond in otitis media and how this is altered when overlaid with an infection (Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae - NTHi).

Immunohistochemical staining identified that otitis media caused increased microglial activation in the auditory system. When overlaid with infection, this response was exacerbated as evidenced by increased Il-1 production and greater susceptibility to infection with NTHi.

These results identify that pre-existing middle ear inflammation alters the phenotype of innate immune cells in the auditory system resulting in a heightened inflammatory response to an additional insult. This could lead to greater damage in the auditory pathway and subsequent hearing loss.

Text
Kate Hough - SONG Poster 2019
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More information

Published date: 19 September 2019
Venue - Dates: 17th Southampton Neurosciences conference: The Neuroscience of Lifelong Illness, 2019-09-19

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 443713
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/443713
PURE UUID: e3e03bf1-5a70-44bd-9862-32c0984fa14d
ORCID for Katie Hough: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5160-2517
ORCID for Tracey Newman: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3727-9258

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 09 Sep 2020 16:34
Last modified: 01 Oct 2024 02:06

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Contributors

Author: Katie Hough ORCID iD
Author: Alan Sanderson
Author: Evie Watson
Author: Derek W. Hood
Author: Carl Verschuur
Author: Tracey Newman ORCID iD

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