Metabolic shifts in murine inner ears mimicking erythrocytes and plasma reveal diagnostics and early predictors for age-related hearing loss

作者：Qi Guo, Zhenjiang Li, Cheng Luo, Chang‐Han Chen, Xi Long, Yidan Wang, Qingfen Qiang, Yu Fang, Wuping Liu, Yujin Zhang, Rodney E. Kellems, Yang Xia · 发表于：iScience · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1016/j.isci.2025.113285 · 被引用次数：4 · 研究领域：Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics、Vestibular and auditory disorders、Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a major public health concern, driven by the interplay of multiple factors. Here, we reveal spatiotemporal metabolic shifts in murine inner ears mirroring erythrocytes and plasma. Isotope-labeled glucose tracing demonstrates a metabolic rerouting favoring glycolysis over the pentose phosphate pathway, alongside downregulation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, indicating impaired energy production and redox homeostasis. Accumulation of medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines further exacerbates lipotoxicity. Notably, age-dependent depletion of arginine, lysine, proline, and glycine disrupts the arginine-polyamine-urea cycle. Translationally, UK Biobank plasma metabolomics links omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, glycine, and albumin to ARHL resilience, while branched-chain amino acids, tyrosine, creatinine, glycoprotein acetyls and urea confer risk. Sex differences in ARHL were linked to fatty acid metabolism divergence. These bioenergetic disruptions in the inner ear are mirrored in erythrocytes and plasma, highlighting potential biomarkers for early ARHL diagnosis and treatment.