Li Jia-Huan, Liu Chang, Qiu Si-Yu, Zheng Shi-Mei, He Ying-Zi
ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.
NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200031, China.
Curr Med Sci. 2025 Jun;45(3):415-429. doi: 10.1007/s11596-025-00049-9. Epub 2025 May 21.
Hearing loss, which currently affects more than 430 million individuals globally and is projected to exceed 700 million by 2050, predominantly manifests as sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), for which existing technologies such as hearing aids and cochlear implants fail to restore natural auditory function. Research focusing on protecting inner ear hair cells (HCs) from harmful factors through the regulation of epigenetic modifications has gained significant attention in otology for its role in regulating gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, suggesting potential strategies for preventing and treating SNHL. By synthesizing relevant studies on the inner ear, this review summarizes the emerging roles of histone modifications, DNA methylation, and noncoding RNAs in HC damage, with a focus on their therapeutic potential through epigenetic modulation. Moreover, this review examines the therapeutic potential of epigenetic regulation for the prevention and treatment of SNHL, emphasizing the application of small-molecule epigenetic compounds and their efficacy in modulating gene expression to preserve and restore auditory function.
听力损失目前在全球影响着超过4.3亿人，预计到2050年将超过7亿人，主要表现为感音神经性听力损失（SNHL），而助听器和人工耳蜗等现有技术无法恢复自然听觉功能。通过调节表观遗传修饰来保护内耳毛细胞（HCs）免受有害因素影响的研究，因其在不改变DNA序列的情况下调节基因表达的作用，在耳科学领域受到了广泛关注，这为预防和治疗SNHL提供了潜在策略。通过综合内耳相关研究，本综述总结了组蛋白修饰、DNA甲基化和非编码RNA在HC损伤中的新作用，重点关注其通过表观遗传调控的治疗潜力。此外，本综述探讨了表观遗传调控在预防和治疗SNHL方面的治疗潜力，强调了小分子表观遗传化合物的应用及其在调节基因表达以保护和恢复听觉功能方面的功效。
