The International Tinnitus Journal

Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor Blocker on Salicylate-Induced Tinnitus in Mice

Objective: Neuroinflammation is considered a novel mechanism for acute tinnitus. Here, we investigated the effects of a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker on the gene expression of inflammatory-cytokine in the cochlea in a tinnitus animal model. Methods: Enbrel® (30 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)) were administrated to the mice with the salicylate induced tinnitus for 3 days. Tinnitus score and mRNA expression levels of TNFR1, TNFR2, and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit 2B (NR2B) and its downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM) in the cochlea of mice were measured and compared to the control. Results: The tinnitus score significantly decreased in the Enbrel® treated group. The mRNA levels of both TNFR1 and TNFR2 were significantly lower in the treatment than in the control group. The mRNA levels of NR2B and DREAM followed a similar trend. Conclusion: we found that treatment with 30 mg/ kg Enbrel® decreased salicylate-induced behavior associated with tinnitus and reduced the mRNA expression levels of TNFR1/R2, NR2B, and DREAM in the cochlea of mice. These findings supported the hypothesis that neuroinflammation might be a novel mechanism for salicylate-induced tinnitus.