Naked Mole-Rat Gene Fails to Prevent Age-Related Hearing Loss in Mice Despite Other Health Benefits
A recent study published in Frontiers in Aging investigated whether the ubiquitous expression of the naked mole-rat hyaluronan synthase 2 (nmrHas2) transgene could attenuate age-related hearing loss (AHL) in C57BL/6 mice. Despite previous findings that this genetic intervention improved healthspan, reduced inflammaging, and extended the lifespan of these mice, the study found no evidence that nmrHas2 attenuated AHL. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing showed significant hearing loss in both nmrHas2-expressing mice and control mice as they aged from 3 to 12 months. The ABR thresholds were significantly different based on age but not on genotype, indicating that the nmrHas2 transgene did not prevent or reduce age-related hearing decline. This outcome contrasts with the effects of calorie restriction, which has been shown to prevent AHL in mice, suggesting distinct mechanisms of action for these two interventions. 
