PTEN inhibitor bisperoxovanadium protects against noise-induced hearing loss

Studies have shown that phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten(PTEN)participates in the regulation of cochlear hair cell survival.Bisperoxovanadium protects against neurodegeneration by inhibiting PTEN expression.However,whether bisperoxovanadium can protect against noise-induced hearing loss and the underlying mechanism remains unclear.In this study,we established a mouse model of noise-induced hearing loss by exposure to 105 dB sound for 2 hours.We found that PTEN expression was increased in the organ of Corti,including outer hair cells,inner hair cells,and lateral wall tissues.Intraperitoneal administration of bisperoxovanadium decreased the auditory threshold and the loss of cochlear hair cells and inner hair cell ribbons.In addition,noise exposure decreased p-PI3K and p-Akt levels.Bisperoxovanadium preconditioning or PTEN knockdown upregulated the activity of PI3K-Akt.Bisperoxovanadium also prevented H_(2)O_(2)-induced hair cell death by reducing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation in cochlear explants.These findings suggest that bisperoxovanadium reduces noise-induced hearing injury and reduces cochlear hair cell loss.

Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain infection in China:A national multicenter survey of 35,566 individuals

Objective:This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the epidemiology of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to COVID-19 in China.Methods:This study was conducted by 45 tertiary Grade-A hospitals in China.Online and offline questionnaire data were obtained from patients infected with COVID-19 between December 28,2022,and February 21,2023.The collected information included basic demographics,medical history,smoking and drinking history,vaccination history,changes in olfactory and gustatory functions before and after infection,and other postinfection symptoms,as well as the duration and improvement status of olfactory and gustatory disorders.Results:Complete questionnaires were obtained from 35,566 subjects.The overall incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunction was 67.75%.Being female or being a cigarette smoker increased the likelihood of developing olfactory and taste dysfunction.Having received four doses of the vaccine or having good oral health or being a alcohol drinker decreased the risk of such dysfunction.Before infection,the average olfactory and taste VAS scores were 8.41 and 8.51,respectively;after infection,they decreased to 3.69 and 4.29 and recovered to 5.83 and 6.55 by the time of the survey.The median duration of dysosmia and dysgeusia was 15 and 12 days,respectively,with 0.5%of patients having symptoms lasting for more than 28 days.The overall self-reported improvement rate was 59.16%.Recovery was higher in males,never smokers,those who received two or three vaccine doses,and those that had never experienced dental health issues,or chronic accompanying symptoms.Conclusions:The incidence of dysosmia and dysgeusia following infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is high in China.Incidence and prognosis are influenced by several factors,including sex,SARS-CoV-2 vaccination,history of head-facial trauma,nasal and oral health status,smoking and drinking history,and the persistence of accompanying symptoms.