Establishment of pharmacotherapy for sensorineural hearing loss based on the pathogenetic mechanism

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K15462
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Pharmacology in pharmacy
• Research Institution: Setsunan University
• Principal Investigator: Yamaguchi Taro 摂南大学, 薬学部, 講師 (30710701)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 感音難聴 / 薬物治療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to determine whether treatment with an antioxidant or nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor in combination with a calpain inhibitor provided more potent inner ear protection than treatment with a calpain inhibitor alone. The results showed that the combination treatment partially enhanced the inner ear protection effect compared with the single treatment, but to a less dramatic extent. As the cause, it was found that the inflammation reaction in the cochlea which is generated independently of oxidative stress and NO was possibly involved in the deafness disease state formation by the acoustic exposure.

Free Research Field

薬理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、これまで申請者が明らかにした難聴治療候補薬の併用療法でより高い効果を発揮するか否かを検証するものである。結果として、期待されるほど大きな効果は得られなかったものの、新たな治療標的の同定に成功した。本研究成果は、現時点でも有効な治療薬の存在しない難聴病態に対して、新たな創薬標的を生み出したことから、今後の創薬への発展が期待できるものである。