Oridonin employs interleukin 1 receptor type 2 to treat noise-induced hearing loss by blocking inner ear inflammation

NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes trigger the inflammatory cascades and participate in various inflammatory diseases, including noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) caused by oxidative stress. Recently, the anti-inflammatory traditional medicine oridonin (Ori) has been reported to provide hearing protection in mice after noise exposure by blocking the NLRP3-never in mitosis gene A-related kinase 7 (NEK7)-inflammasome complex assembly. Using RNA sequencing analysis, we further elucidated that interleukin 1 receptor type 2 (IL1R2) may be another crucial factor regulated by Ori to protect NIHL. We observed that IL1R2 expression was localized in spiral ganglion neurons, inner and outer hair cells, in Ori-treated mouse cochleae. Additionally, we confirmed that ectopic overexpression of IL1R2 in the inner ears of healthy mice using an adeno-associated virus delivery system significantly reduced noise-induced ribbon synapse lesions and hearing loss by blocking the “cytokine storm” in the inner ear. This study provides a novel theoretical foundation for guiding the clinical treatment of NIHL.