Protective effects of hydrogen-saturated saline on noise-induced hearing loss in mice

TANG Jinge; REN Wei; WEI Cong; QI Guowei; SHI Lei; JIANG Qingqing; YUAN Shuolong; ZHU Yuhua; YU Ning

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672-2922.2026.01.011

Abstract：Objective The purpose of this study is to investigate potential roles of saturated hydrogen saline in prevention of noise-induced hearing loss(NIHL).Methods Twenty-four 8-week-old specific pathogen free(SPF)grade C57BL/6J male mice with normal auditory brainstem response(ABR)thresholds were randomly divided into normal control(wild type,WT),noise exposure(NG),and saturated hydrogen saline prophylaxis before noise exposure(HS)groups(n=8 in each group).The control group received intraperitoneal saline solution(1 mL/100 g/day)for three days.The NG group received the same saline treatment followed by noise exposure,whereas the HS group received an equivalent dose of saturated hydrogen saline before noise exposure.ARB audiometry was performed prior to and at 1,3 and 7 days after noise exposure.At the conclusion of the study,the middle cochlear turn basilar membrane was harvested and examined by scanning electron microscopy with immunofluorescence staining.Results Hearing loss was observed in both the NG and HS groups,with better ABR thresholds,less severe cochlear outer hair cells damage and less outer hair cells loss in the HS group than in the NG group(P<0.05).The degree of damage to the cilia morphology of cochlear outer hair cellsin the HS group was milder than that in the NG group.Cochlear basilar membrane ribbon synapses decreased in both HS and NG groups,and less in the NG group than in the HS group(P>0.05).Conclusions Prophylactic daily intraperitoneal injection of saturated hydrogen saline has a protective effect on hearing in mice against exposure to steady-state noise.This knowledge may have certain value in understanding molecular mechanisms of hydrogen protection.