Losartan Prevents Maladaptive Auditory-Somatosensory Plasticity After Hearing Loss via Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling Suppression

OBJECTIVES: Hearing loss disrupts the balance of auditory-somatosensory inputs in the cochlear nucleus (CN) of the brainstem, which has been suggested to be a mechanism of tinnitus. This disruption results from maladaptive auditory-somatosensory plasticity, which is a form of axonal sprouting. Axonal sprouting is promoted by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling, which can be inhibited by losartan. We investigated whether losartan prevents maladaptive auditory-somatosensory plasticity after hearing loss. METHODS: The study consisted of two stages: determining the time course of auditory-somatosensory plasticity following hearing loss and preventing auditory-somatosensory plasticity using losartan. In the first stage, rats were randomly divided into two groups: a control group that underwent a sham operation and a deaf group that underwent cochlea ablation on the left side. CNs were harvested 1 and 2 weeks after surgery. In the second stage, rats were randomly divided into either a saline group that underwent cochlear ablation on the left side and received normal saline or a losartan group that underwent cochlear ablation on the left side and received losartan. CNs were harvested 2 weeks after surgery. Hearing was estimated with auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). Western blotting was performed for vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1), reflecting auditory input; vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2), reflecting somatosensory input; growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), reflecting axonal sprouting; and p-Smad2/3. RESULTS: Baseline ABR thresholds before surgery ranged from 20 to 35 dB sound pressure level. After cochlear ablation, ABR thresholds were higher than 80 dB. In the first experiment, VGLUT2/VGLUT1 ratios did not differ significantly between the control and deaf groups 1 week after surgery. At 2 weeks after surgery, the deaf group had a significantly higher VGLUT2/VGLUT1 ratio compared to the control group. In the second experiment, the losartan group had a significantly lower VGLUT2/VGLUT1 ratio along with significantly lower p-Smad3 and GAP-43 levels compared to the saline group. CONCLUSION: Losartan might prevent axonal sprouting after hearing loss by blocking TGF-β signaling thereby preventing maladaptive auditory-somatosensory plasticity.