Sustained Fos expression is observed in the developing brainstem auditory circuits of kanamycin-treated rats

It has been demonstrated that kanamycin treatment during early developmental period induces partial cochlear destruction and enhanced glutamatergic transmission at the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) - the lateral superior olive (LSO) synapses in the superior olivary complex (SOC). As c-fos was expected to be expressed in the SOC by kanamycin-induced cochlear damage, the expression of c-fos protein (Fos) was investigated using immunohistochemistry in kanamycin-treated rat pups. In the control rat pups less than postnatal (P) day 9 in age, Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) was transiently observed in the MNTB and LSO on P6, but disappeared on P9, which reflects a physiologic process. In contrast, in kanamycin-treated rats, Fos-IR was consistently observed through P9. Because a significant increase in terminal uridine deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 2′-deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) IR was not demonstrated in the MNTB and LSO of kanamycin-treated rats, the increased Fos-IR does not appear to indicate an ongoing pathologic process, but may be related to the increased activity caused by the disturbance in excitatory and inhibitory balance between brainstem auditory circuits.

► Fos is transiently expressed (P6) in the MNTB and LSO of control rats. ► Fos expression is sustained through P9 in the MNTB and LSO of kanamycin-treated rats. ► GFAP or TUNEL staining did not parallel with Fos expression in both control and kanamycin-treated rats.