This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of inhibiting protein arginine methyltransferase 5(PRMT5)in cisplatin-induced hearing loss.The effects of PRMT5 inhibition on cisplatin-induced auditory injury we...This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of inhibiting protein arginine methyltransferase 5(PRMT5)in cisplatin-induced hearing loss.The effects of PRMT5 inhibition on cisplatin-induced auditory injury were determined using immunohistochemistry,apoptosis assays,and auditory brainstem response.The mechanism of PRMT5 inhibition on hair cell survival was assessed using RNA-seq and Cleavage Under Targets and Tagment-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(CUT&Tag-qPCR)analyses in the HEI-OC1 cell line.Pharmacological inhibition of PRMT5 significantly alleviated cisplatin-induced damage to hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea and decreased apoptosis by protecting mitochondrial function and preventing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species.CUT&Tag-qPCR analysis demonstrated that inhibition of PRMT5 in HEI-OC1 cells reduced the accumulation of H4R3me2s/H3R8me2s marks at the promoter region of the Pik3ca gene,thus activating the expression of Pik3ca.These findings suggest that PRMT5 inhibitors have strong potential as agents against cisplatininduced ototoxicity and can lay the foundation for further research on treatment strategies of hearing loss.展开更多
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)has been a focus of medical research for more than 100 years,with significant interest emerging over the last 58 years following the identification of the link between the disease and Epst...Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)has been a focus of medical research for more than 100 years,with significant interest emerging over the last 58 years following the identification of the link between the disease and Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)infection.NPC possesses several distinctive characteristics among human cancers,notably its well-documented global epidemiology,which reveals localized high-incidence regions primarily in Southeast Asia,particularly in the Southern provinces of China near the Pearl river,as well as in Greenland and North Africa.Epidemiological data indicate a marked male predominance,early disease onset,and a nearly 100%prevalence of latent EBV infection in the tumors.Due to lack of consistent pattern of cancer-related mutations in NPC genomes and excessive DNA-methylation in the tumor cells,NPC can be considered"an epigenetic cancer".Despite extensive researches,convincing biological explanations for these unique characteristics remain elusive.Recently,suggestive evidence has been published that specific local variants of EBV may represent major high risk factors.In spite of tumor and virus specific immunity,it has not been possible to use this for improved treatment.Ongoing studies on the role of the local microflora and tumor microenvironment are essential for a comprehensive understanding of host-EBV-tumor interactions.Ultimately,this knowledge aims to enhance diagnosis,disease fractionation,treatment strategies,and potentially prevention of NPC.展开更多
Sodium salicylate is an anti-inflammatory medication with a side-effect of tinnitus.Here,we used mouse cochlear cultures to explore the effects of salicylate treatment on cochlear inner hair cells(IHCs).We found that ...Sodium salicylate is an anti-inflammatory medication with a side-effect of tinnitus.Here,we used mouse cochlear cultures to explore the effects of salicylate treatment on cochlear inner hair cells(IHCs).We found that IHCs showed significant damage after exposure to a high concentration of salicylate.Whole-cell patch clamp recordings showed that 1–5 mmol/L salicylate did not affect the exocytosis of IHCs,indicating that IHCs are not involved in tinnitus generation by enhancing their neuronal input.Instead,salicylate induced a larger peak amplitude,a more negative half-activation voltage,and a steeper slope factor of Ca^(2+)current.Using noise analysis of Ca^(2+)tail currents and qRT-PCR,we further found that salicylate increased the number of Ca^(2+)channels along with CaV1.3 expression.All these changes could act synergistically to enhance the Ca^(2+)influx into IHCs.Inhibition of intracellular Ca^(2+)overload significantly attenuated IHC death after 10 mmol/L salicylate treatment.These results implicate a cellular mechanism for tinnitus generation in the peripheral auditory system.展开更多
Dendritic cells(DCs)play a critical role in controlling T helper 2(Th2)cell-dependent diseases,but the signaling mechanism that triggers this function is not fully understood.We showed that p38αactivity in DCs was de...Dendritic cells(DCs)play a critical role in controlling T helper 2(Th2)cell-dependent diseases,but the signaling mechanism that triggers this function is not fully understood.We showed that p38αactivity in DCs was decreased upon HDM stimulation and dynamically regulated by both extrinsic signals and Th2-instructive cytokines.p38α-specific deletion in cDC1s but not in cDC2s or macrophages promoted Th2 responses under HDM stimulation.Further study showed that p38αin cDC1s regulated Th2-cell differentiation by modulating the MK2−c-FOS−IL-12 axis.Importantly,crosstalk between p38α-dependent DCs and Th2 cells occurred during the sensitization phase,not the effector phase,and was conserved between mice and humans.Our results identify p38αsignaling as a central pathway in DCs that integrates allergic and parasitic instructive signals with Th2-instructive cytokines from the microenvironment to regulate Th2-cell differentiation and function,and this finding may offer a novel strategy for the treatment of allergic diseases and parasitic infection.展开更多
Traditional cochlear implantation surgery has problems such as high surgical accuracy requirement and large trauma,which cause the difficulty of the operation and the high requirements for doctors,so that only a few d...Traditional cochlear implantation surgery has problems such as high surgical accuracy requirement and large trauma,which cause the difficulty of the operation and the high requirements for doctors,so that only a few doctors can complete the operation independently.However,there is no research on robotic cochlear implantation in China.In response to this problem,a robotic cochlear implantation system is proposed.The robot is controlled by robot operating system(ROS).A simulation environment for the overall surgery is established on the ROS based on the real surgery environment.Through the analysis of the kinematics and the motion planning algorithm of the manipulator,an appropriate motion mode is designed to control the motion of the manipulator,and perform the surgery under the simulation environment.A simple and feasible method of navigation is proposed,and through the model experiment,the feasibility of robotic cochlear implantation surgery is verified.展开更多
The recent research published in Nature by Bravo and colleagues has deeply carifed the mechanisms of Cas9 recognizing the base-pair mismatches by kinetics-guided Cryo-EM analysis,which provides a perspective for the d...The recent research published in Nature by Bravo and colleagues has deeply carifed the mechanisms of Cas9 recognizing the base-pair mismatches by kinetics-guided Cryo-EM analysis,which provides a perspective for the development of next-generation Cas9 variants with high fidelity.展开更多
To present the clinical characteristics and the misdiagnosis rate of acute coronary syndrome manifested primarily as throat discomfort,we conducted a multicentric and retrospective study in the cardiology and otorhino...To present the clinical characteristics and the misdiagnosis rate of acute coronary syndrome manifested primarily as throat discomfort,we conducted a multicentric and retrospective study in the cardiology and otorhinolaryngology departments.Records of patients with primary complaint of throat discomfort,absence of chest pain at onset,and an ultimate diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome,as well as patients with pharyngitis(as controls)were collected from May 2015 to April 2016.The patients’main manifestations were compared.Logistic regression results showed that chest tightness,dyspnea,perspiring,and exertional throat symptoms were significantly associated with acute coronary syndrome,with odds ratios of 8.3(95%CI 2.2–31.5),10.9(95%CI 1.8–66.9),25.4(95%CI 3.6–179.9),and 81.2(95%CI 13.0–506.7).A total of 25(56.82%)out of 44 acute coronary syndrome patients,who were first admitted to the otorhinolaryngology department,were misdiagnosed,with a 12%(3/25)mortality rate.Throat discomfort can be the principal manifestation of acute coronary syndrome.Such patients exhibit high misdiagnosis and mortality rates.Exertional throat symptoms,chest tightness,perspiring,and dyspnea were important indicators of acute coronary syndrome in patients whose main complaint was throat discomfort.The awareness of this condition will result in prompt diagnosis and reduce morbidity and mortality.展开更多
Astaxanthine(AST) has important biological activities including antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects that could alleviate neurological and heart diseases, but its role in the prevention of cisplatin-induced hearin...Astaxanthine(AST) has important biological activities including antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects that could alleviate neurological and heart diseases, but its role in the prevention of cisplatin-induced hearing loss(CIHL) is not yet well understood. In our study, a steady interaction between AST and the E3 ligase adapter Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, a predominant repressor of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2), was performed and tested via computer molecular docking and dynamics. AST protected against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity via NRF2 mediated pathwayusing quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential revealed that AST reduced ROS overexpression and mitochondrial dysfunction.Moreover, AST exerted anti-apoptosis effects in mouse cochlear explants using immunofluorescence staining and HEI-OC1 cell lines using quantitative PCR and Western blotting. Finally, AST combined with poloxamer was injected into the middle ear through the tympanum, and the protection against CIHL was evaluated using the acoustic brain stem test and immunofluorescent staining in adult mice. Our results suggest that AST reduced ROS overexpression, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis via NRF2-mediated pathway in cisplatin-exposed HEI-OC1 cell lines and mouse cochlear explants, finally promoting cell survival. Our study demonstrates that AST is a candidate therapeutic agent for CIHL.展开更多
CRISPR/RfxCas13d(CasRx)editing system can specifically and precisely cleave single-strand RNAs,which is a promising treatment for various disorders by downregulation of related gene expression.Here,we tested this RNA-...CRISPR/RfxCas13d(CasRx)editing system can specifically and precisely cleave single-strand RNAs,which is a promising treatment for various disorders by downregulation of related gene expression.Here,we tested this RNA-editing approach on Beethoven(Bth)mice,an animal model for human DFNA36 due to a point mutation in Tmc1.We first screened 30 sgRNAs in cell cultures and found that CasRx with sgRNA3 reduced the Tmc1^(Bth)transcript by 90.8%,and the Tmc1 wild type transcript(Tmc1^(+))by 44.3%.We then injected a newly developed AAV vector(AAV-PHP.eB)based CasRx into the inner ears of neonatal Bth mice,and we found that Tmc1^(Bth)was reduced by 70.2%in 2 weeks with few off-target effects in the whole transcriptome.Consistently,we found improved hair cell survival,rescued hair bundle degeneration,and reduced mechanoelectrical transduction current.Importantly,the hearing performance,measured in both ABR and DPOAE thresholds,was improved significantly in all ages over 8 weeks.We,therefore,have validated the CRISPR/CasRx-based RNA editing strategy in treating autosomal-dominant hearing loss,paving way for its further application in many other hereditary diseases in hearing and beyond.展开更多
Bone defects caused by congenital diseases,trauma,infection,tumors,or other factors are common orthopedic diseases,which affect the normal movement of patients significantly.[1]Clinical intervention is still required ...Bone defects caused by congenital diseases,trauma,infection,tumors,or other factors are common orthopedic diseases,which affect the normal movement of patients significantly.[1]Clinical intervention is still required to achieve the complete healing and functional restoration.During that,the autologous or allogeneic bone grafts are the present gold standard treatment for large or severe bone damage,with about 2.2 million bone grafting operations being performed annually globally.展开更多
Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss and represents a promising target for treatment.We tested the potential effect of apigenin,a natural flavonoid with a...Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss and represents a promising target for treatment.We tested the potential effect of apigenin,a natural flavonoid with anticancer,anti-inflammatory,and antioxidant activities,on neomycin-induced ototoxicity in cochlear hair cells in vitro.Results showed that apigenin significantly ameliorated the loss of hair cells and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species upon neomycin injury.Further evidence suggested that the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)signaling pathway was activated by apigenin treatment.Disruption of the Nrf2 axis abolished the effects of apigenin on the alleviation of oxidative stress and subsequent apoptosis of hair cells.This study provided evidence of the protective effect of apigenin on cochlear hair cells and its underlying mechanism.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.:82271158,82192865,and 82071045)Wenzhou Municipal Science and Technology Research Program(Grant No.:2021Y0681).
文摘This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of inhibiting protein arginine methyltransferase 5(PRMT5)in cisplatin-induced hearing loss.The effects of PRMT5 inhibition on cisplatin-induced auditory injury were determined using immunohistochemistry,apoptosis assays,and auditory brainstem response.The mechanism of PRMT5 inhibition on hair cell survival was assessed using RNA-seq and Cleavage Under Targets and Tagment-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(CUT&Tag-qPCR)analyses in the HEI-OC1 cell line.Pharmacological inhibition of PRMT5 significantly alleviated cisplatin-induced damage to hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons in the cochlea and decreased apoptosis by protecting mitochondrial function and preventing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species.CUT&Tag-qPCR analysis demonstrated that inhibition of PRMT5 in HEI-OC1 cells reduced the accumulation of H4R3me2s/H3R8me2s marks at the promoter region of the Pik3ca gene,thus activating the expression of Pik3ca.These findings suggest that PRMT5 inhibitors have strong potential as agents against cisplatininduced ototoxicity and can lay the foundation for further research on treatment strategies of hearing loss.
文摘Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)has been a focus of medical research for more than 100 years,with significant interest emerging over the last 58 years following the identification of the link between the disease and Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)infection.NPC possesses several distinctive characteristics among human cancers,notably its well-documented global epidemiology,which reveals localized high-incidence regions primarily in Southeast Asia,particularly in the Southern provinces of China near the Pearl river,as well as in Greenland and North Africa.Epidemiological data indicate a marked male predominance,early disease onset,and a nearly 100%prevalence of latent EBV infection in the tumors.Due to lack of consistent pattern of cancer-related mutations in NPC genomes and excessive DNA-methylation in the tumor cells,NPC can be considered"an epigenetic cancer".Despite extensive researches,convincing biological explanations for these unique characteristics remain elusive.Recently,suggestive evidence has been published that specific local variants of EBV may represent major high risk factors.In spite of tumor and virus specific immunity,it has not been possible to use this for improved treatment.Ongoing studies on the role of the local microflora and tumor microenvironment are essential for a comprehensive understanding of host-EBV-tumor interactions.Ultimately,this knowledge aims to enhance diagnosis,disease fractionation,treatment strategies,and potentially prevention of NPC.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81770999 and 81670281)the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology Research Project(18140900304,and 19140900902)the Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Project(2020DSJ07).
文摘Sodium salicylate is an anti-inflammatory medication with a side-effect of tinnitus.Here,we used mouse cochlear cultures to explore the effects of salicylate treatment on cochlear inner hair cells(IHCs).We found that IHCs showed significant damage after exposure to a high concentration of salicylate.Whole-cell patch clamp recordings showed that 1–5 mmol/L salicylate did not affect the exocytosis of IHCs,indicating that IHCs are not involved in tinnitus generation by enhancing their neuronal input.Instead,salicylate induced a larger peak amplitude,a more negative half-activation voltage,and a steeper slope factor of Ca^(2+)current.Using noise analysis of Ca^(2+)tail currents and qRT-PCR,we further found that salicylate increased the number of Ca^(2+)channels along with CaV1.3 expression.All these changes could act synergistically to enhance the Ca^(2+)influx into IHCs.Inhibition of intracellular Ca^(2+)overload significantly attenuated IHC death after 10 mmol/L salicylate treatment.These results implicate a cellular mechanism for tinnitus generation in the peripheral auditory system.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(91642104,31670897,and 81471528 to GH81600788 to MH,81671399 and 81971329 to XL,81725004 to HBL,82001702 to TZ)+2 种基金the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2021B1515130004 to GH2021B1515140021 to YYW)the National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFC0115900 to GH)。
文摘Dendritic cells(DCs)play a critical role in controlling T helper 2(Th2)cell-dependent diseases,but the signaling mechanism that triggers this function is not fully understood.We showed that p38αactivity in DCs was decreased upon HDM stimulation and dynamically regulated by both extrinsic signals and Th2-instructive cytokines.p38α-specific deletion in cDC1s but not in cDC2s or macrophages promoted Th2 responses under HDM stimulation.Further study showed that p38αin cDC1s regulated Th2-cell differentiation by modulating the MK2−c-FOS−IL-12 axis.Importantly,crosstalk between p38α-dependent DCs and Th2 cells occurred during the sensitization phase,not the effector phase,and was conserved between mice and humans.Our results identify p38αsignaling as a central pathway in DCs that integrates allergic and parasitic instructive signals with Th2-instructive cytokines from the microenvironment to regulate Th2-cell differentiation and function,and this finding may offer a novel strategy for the treatment of allergic diseases and parasitic infection.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.61973211,62133009,51911540479 and M-0221)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(Nos.21550714200 and 20DZ2220400)+1 种基金the Research Project of Institute of Medical Robotics of Shanghai Jiao Tong Universitythe Interdisciplinary Program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University(Nos.YG2017ZD03 and ZH2018QNB31)。
文摘Traditional cochlear implantation surgery has problems such as high surgical accuracy requirement and large trauma,which cause the difficulty of the operation and the high requirements for doctors,so that only a few doctors can complete the operation independently.However,there is no research on robotic cochlear implantation in China.In response to this problem,a robotic cochlear implantation system is proposed.The robot is controlled by robot operating system(ROS).A simulation environment for the overall surgery is established on the ROS based on the real surgery environment.Through the analysis of the kinematics and the motion planning algorithm of the manipulator,an appropriate motion mode is designed to control the motion of the manipulator,and perform the surgery under the simulation environment.A simple and feasible method of navigation is proposed,and through the model experiment,the feasibility of robotic cochlear implantation surgery is verified.
基金This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China grant(2020YF A0908201)National Natural Science Foundation of China grant(82171148),Clinical Research Plan of SHDC(SHDC2020CR4083)+3 种基金the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(21S11905100)Special Project for Clinical Research in Health Industry of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission(20224Z0003)Excellent Doctors-Excellent Clinical Researchers Program of Eye&ENT Hospital of Fudan University(SYB202005)“Shuguang Program”supported by Shanghai Education Development Foundation and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(20SG08).
文摘The recent research published in Nature by Bravo and colleagues has deeply carifed the mechanisms of Cas9 recognizing the base-pair mismatches by kinetics-guided Cryo-EM analysis,which provides a perspective for the development of next-generation Cas9 variants with high fidelity.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81822011 and 81771013)Clinical Research Plan of SHDC(No.SHDC2020CR4083).
文摘To present the clinical characteristics and the misdiagnosis rate of acute coronary syndrome manifested primarily as throat discomfort,we conducted a multicentric and retrospective study in the cardiology and otorhinolaryngology departments.Records of patients with primary complaint of throat discomfort,absence of chest pain at onset,and an ultimate diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome,as well as patients with pharyngitis(as controls)were collected from May 2015 to April 2016.The patients’main manifestations were compared.Logistic regression results showed that chest tightness,dyspnea,perspiring,and exertional throat symptoms were significantly associated with acute coronary syndrome,with odds ratios of 8.3(95%CI 2.2–31.5),10.9(95%CI 1.8–66.9),25.4(95%CI 3.6–179.9),and 81.2(95%CI 13.0–506.7).A total of 25(56.82%)out of 44 acute coronary syndrome patients,who were first admitted to the otorhinolaryngology department,were misdiagnosed,with a 12%(3/25)mortality rate.Throat discomfort can be the principal manifestation of acute coronary syndrome.Such patients exhibit high misdiagnosis and mortality rates.Exertional throat symptoms,chest tightness,perspiring,and dyspnea were important indicators of acute coronary syndrome in patients whose main complaint was throat discomfort.The awareness of this condition will result in prompt diagnosis and reduce morbidity and mortality.
基金financial support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82000980)。
文摘Astaxanthine(AST) has important biological activities including antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects that could alleviate neurological and heart diseases, but its role in the prevention of cisplatin-induced hearing loss(CIHL) is not yet well understood. In our study, a steady interaction between AST and the E3 ligase adapter Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, a predominant repressor of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(NRF2), was performed and tested via computer molecular docking and dynamics. AST protected against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity via NRF2 mediated pathwayusing quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential revealed that AST reduced ROS overexpression and mitochondrial dysfunction.Moreover, AST exerted anti-apoptosis effects in mouse cochlear explants using immunofluorescence staining and HEI-OC1 cell lines using quantitative PCR and Western blotting. Finally, AST combined with poloxamer was injected into the middle ear through the tympanum, and the protection against CIHL was evaluated using the acoustic brain stem test and immunofluorescent staining in adult mice. Our results suggest that AST reduced ROS overexpression, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis via NRF2-mediated pathway in cisplatin-exposed HEI-OC1 cell lines and mouse cochlear explants, finally promoting cell survival. Our study demonstrates that AST is a candidate therapeutic agent for CIHL.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82171148,51873107,81770999)National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFA0908201)+3 种基金Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(21S11905100)National Genetically Modified Organisms Breeding Major Projects of China(2016ZX08009003-006)Clinic Research Plan of SHDC(No.SHDC2020CR4083),“Shuguang Program”supported by Shanghai Education Development Foundation and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(20SG08)National Research Facility for Phenotypic and Genotypic Analysis of Model Animals(Beijing).
文摘CRISPR/RfxCas13d(CasRx)editing system can specifically and precisely cleave single-strand RNAs,which is a promising treatment for various disorders by downregulation of related gene expression.Here,we tested this RNA-editing approach on Beethoven(Bth)mice,an animal model for human DFNA36 due to a point mutation in Tmc1.We first screened 30 sgRNAs in cell cultures and found that CasRx with sgRNA3 reduced the Tmc1^(Bth)transcript by 90.8%,and the Tmc1 wild type transcript(Tmc1^(+))by 44.3%.We then injected a newly developed AAV vector(AAV-PHP.eB)based CasRx into the inner ears of neonatal Bth mice,and we found that Tmc1^(Bth)was reduced by 70.2%in 2 weeks with few off-target effects in the whole transcriptome.Consistently,we found improved hair cell survival,rescued hair bundle degeneration,and reduced mechanoelectrical transduction current.Importantly,the hearing performance,measured in both ABR and DPOAE thresholds,was improved significantly in all ages over 8 weeks.We,therefore,have validated the CRISPR/CasRx-based RNA editing strategy in treating autosomal-dominant hearing loss,paving way for its further application in many other hereditary diseases in hearing and beyond.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFA0908200)National Natural Science Foundation of China(81871472)+1 种基金Academy of Finland(Grant No.328933)Finland China Food and Health International Pilot Project funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture(280M0052K1).
文摘Bone defects caused by congenital diseases,trauma,infection,tumors,or other factors are common orthopedic diseases,which affect the normal movement of patients significantly.[1]Clinical intervention is still required to achieve the complete healing and functional restoration.During that,the autologous or allogeneic bone grafts are the present gold standard treatment for large or severe bone damage,with about 2.2 million bone grafting operations being performed annually globally.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFA0103900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81771010 and 81570911)+1 种基金the Nature Science Foundation(No.17ZR1404600)from Shanghai Science and Technology Committee.
文摘Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss and represents a promising target for treatment.We tested the potential effect of apigenin,a natural flavonoid with anticancer,anti-inflammatory,and antioxidant activities,on neomycin-induced ototoxicity in cochlear hair cells in vitro.Results showed that apigenin significantly ameliorated the loss of hair cells and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species upon neomycin injury.Further evidence suggested that the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)signaling pathway was activated by apigenin treatment.Disruption of the Nrf2 axis abolished the effects of apigenin on the alleviation of oxidative stress and subsequent apoptosis of hair cells.This study provided evidence of the protective effect of apigenin on cochlear hair cells and its underlying mechanism.