Insulin resistance due to dietary iron overload disrupts inner hair cell ribbon synapse plasticity in male mice

To evaluate whether cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) ribbon synapse plasticity would be interrupted by insulin resistance (IR) due to dietary iron overload, we established an IR model in C57Bl/6 male mice with an iron-enriched diet for 16 weeks. Glucose levels were measured at weeks 4, 8, 12, 16. Glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test were performed at week 16 after overnight fasting. Then, auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) measurements were performed for hearing threshold shifts. After ABR measurements, cochleae were harvested for assessment of the number of IHC ribbon synapses by immunostaining, the morphology of cochlear hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) by transmission electron microscopy or immunostaining. Here, we show that IR due to dietary iron overload decreased the number of ribbon synapses, and induced moderate ABR threshold elevations. Besides, additional components including outer hair cells (OHCs), IHCs, and SGNs were unaffected. Moreover, IR did not disrupt the expression of vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (VGLUT3), myosin VIIa and prestin in hair cells. These results indicate that IHC ribbon synapses may be more susceptible to IR due to dietary iron overload.