Protection of cochlear synapses from noise-induced excitotoxic trauma by blockade of Ca 2+ -permeable AMPA receptors

Abstract

Noise can cause excitotoxic trauma to cochlear synapses by triggering excessive release of the neurotransmitter glutamate from the auditory sensory hair cells. We report that a specific class of glutamate receptors, Ca 2+ -permeable α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors (CP-AMPARs), is largely responsible for this trauma. Because cochlear synapses are heterogenous with respect to glutamate receptors, the observation that a specific class is responsible might explain the variability in susceptibility to noise among synapses. Selective blockade of CP-AMPARs prevents excitotoxicity and noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy, while other glutamate receptors continue to mediate neurotransmission and allow hearing.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Feb 03, 2020
Source ID
10.1073/pnas.1914247117

Entities

People

  • Mark A. Rutherford
  • Ning Hu
  • Steven H Green

Organizations

  • American Hearing Research Foundation
  • Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
  • University of Iowa
  • Washington University in St. Louis

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Medicine

Readers

  • Auditory Neuroscience/Auditory Physiology.
  • Neuroscience