Summary: | Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is an increasing and gradual sensorineural hearing dysfunction. Oxidative stress is an essential factor in developing ARHL; additionally, premature senescence of auditory cells induced by oxidative stress can produce hearing loss. Hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) represents a method commonly used to generate cellular senescence in vitro. The objective of the present paper is to study H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>-induced senescence patterns in three auditory cell lines (House Ear Institute-Organ of Corti 1, HEI-OC1; organ of Corti, OC-k3, and stria vascularis, SV-k1 cells) to elucidate the intrinsic mechanisms responsible for ARHL. The auditory cells were exposed to H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> at different concentrations and times. The results obtained show different responses of the hearing cells concerning cell growth, β-galactosidase activity, morphological changes, mitochondrial activation, levels of oxidative stress, and other markers of cell damage (Forkhead box O3a, FoxO3a, and 8-oxoguanine, 8-oxoG). Comparison between the responses of these auditory cells to H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> is a helpful method to evaluate the molecular mechanisms responsible for these auditory cells’ senescence. Furthermore, this in vitro model could help develop anti-senescent therapeutic strategies for the treatment of AHRL.
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