The study in the July 25, 2013 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation reveals the rescuing act that supporting cells and a chemical they produce called heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) appear to play in protecting damaged hair cells from death. Finding a way to jumpstart this process in supporting cells offers a potential pathway to prevent hearing loss caused by certain drugs, and possibly by exposure to excess noise. The study was led by scientists at the National Institutes of Health.

Over half a million Americans experience hearing loss every year from ototoxic drugs — drugs that can damage hair cells in the inner ear. These include some antibiotics and the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. In addition, about 15 percent of Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 have noise-induced hearing loss, which also results from damage to the sensory hair cells.

Related posts:

  1. Medicare, study uncovers new mechanism of action for class of chemotherapy drugs National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers have discovered a significant new mechanism of action for a class of chemotherapy drugs known as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, or PARP inhibitors. They have also identified differences in the toxic capabilities of three drugs in this class which are currently being tested in clinical trials. The study, by […]...
  2. Medicare Card, Scientists Identify Markers, Human Breast Cancer Cells, Linked to Development of an Aggressive, But Less Common Form of Breast Cancer Scientists have identified a group of surface markers on cells linked to an aggressive type of breast cancer called estrogen receptor-negative cancer. In this preliminary study, estrogen-negative breast cancer developed when three markers, CD44+, CD49fhi, and CD133hi were present simultaneously on the surface of human cells taken from breast cancer patients and transplanted into a […]...
  3. Medicare, Study of MicroRNA, Helps NIH Scientists, Unlock Secrets of Immune Cells With the rapid and continuous advances in biotechnology, scientists are better able to see inside the nucleus of a cell to unlock the secrets of its genetic material. However, what happens outside of the nucleus has, in many ways, remained a mystery. Now, researchers with the National Institutes of Health are closer to understanding how […]...
  4. Scientists find approach to enhance and prolong immune attack against tumor cells Investigators have identified a new class of human immune cells that behave like stem cells. These cells, a subtype of T lymphocytes, which comprise a small fraction of white blood cells, may prove more effective than any previously reported type of T cell for treating tumors. The study, by scientists at the National Cancer Institute […]...
  5. Medicare Card, NIH study shows the deaf brain processes touch differently Medicare Card, NIH study shows the deaf brain processes touch differently...
  6. Medicare Help, Immune Cell’s Role, Lupus Nephritis Demonstrated, Paves Way for Safety Testing, of Potential New Use for Asthma Drug National Institutes of Health scientists have discovered that the activation of immune cells called basophils causes kidney damage in a mouse model of lupus nephritis. These findings and the team’s associated research in humans may lead to new treatments for this serious disease, a severe form of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that affects the kidneys […]...
  7. Medicare – National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders A gene associated with a rare form of progressive deafness in males has been identified by an international team of researchers funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. The gene, PRPS1, appears to be crucial in inner ear development and maintenance. ...
  8. Medicare Card Help, Preventing Hearing Loss It drives me nuts when I’m sitting on the train and I can hear the music blaring from another person’s iPod. It’s just plain rude to be playing your music so loudly that it disrupts the rest of the train. But even if those people aren’t considerate of others, shouldn’t they at least care about […]...
  9. Arsenic turns stem cells cancerous, spurring tumor growth Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered how exposure to arsenic can turn normal stem cells into cancer stem cells and spur tumor growth. Inorganic arsenic, which affects the drinking water of millions of people worldwide, has been previously shown to be a human carcinogen. A growing body of evidence suggests that cancer […]...
  10. Patient-derived stem cells could improve drug research for Parkinson’s Researchers have taken a step toward personalized medicine for Parkinson’s disease, by investigating signs of the disease in patient-derived cells and testing how the cells respond to drug treatments. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health....
  11. Medicare Card, NIH study finds calorie restriction does not affect survival Medicare Card, NIH study finds calorie restriction does not affect survival...
  12. MedicareCard.com – NIH Study Confirms Location of Stem Cells Near Cartilage-Rich Regions in Bones Working with mice, a team of researchers has pinpointed the location of bone generating stem cells in the spine, at the ends of shins, and in other bones. The team also has identified factors that control the stem cells’ growth. The research was conducted at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions....
  13. Statement on Glaucoma Awareness Month, January 2012 Glaucoma is a major cause of vision loss in the United States, affecting about 2.2 million Americans. The National Eye Institute (NEI) leads research toward better prevention, detection, and treatment of this often silent but devastating disease. During Glaucoma Awareness Month, NEI highlights research advances, showcases education and awareness efforts, and reminds Americans that early […]...
  14. Medicare Card, NIH study suggests immune system could play a central role in AMD Medicare Card, NIH study suggests immune system could play a central role in AMD...
  15. Supported study shows how immune cells change wiring of the developing mouse brain Researchers have shown in mice how immune cells in the brain target and remove unused connections between brain cells during normal development. This research, supported by the National Institutes of Health, sheds light on how brain activity influences brain development, and highlights the newly found importance of the immune system in how the brain is […]...