Diabetes-Induced Hearing Loss via Next-Generation Sequencing Research Model

Emerging evidence implicates the cochlea as a potential site of injury, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly defined. In this study, we employed a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic mouse model to investigate cochlear dysfunction and region-specific transcriptomic alterations. Auditory brainstem response testing revealed significant hearing threshold elevation and reduced outer hair cell function in diabetic mice. RNA sequencing of microdissected cochlear regions including modiolus, lateral wall, and organ of corti, identified hundreds of differentially expressed genes per region, with the lateral wall exhibiting the most extensive transcriptional changes.