Subcellular localization of the P2X4 receptor in sensory hair cells of Wistar rat cochlea

Our sense of hearing starts in the inner ear organ, the cochlea, which contains two types of auditory hair cells for signal transduction. Earlier research showed that the complex cochlear physiology is regulated in part by purinergic signalling through activation of purine-mediated P2X, P2Y and adenosine receptors expressed in the cochlea. This study aims to extend our knowledge of purinergic signalling in the cochlea by comprehensively characterising the expression of the P2X4 receptor subtype. Wistar rat cochlea (embryonic day 20.5–6 weeks, both sexes) were collected, and the P2X4 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. Robust P2X4 expression was found in the organ of Corti (OoC) in the inner hair cells (IHCs) and outer hair cells (OHCs), confirmed by double-labelling with hair cells (HCs) marker myosin VIIa. In IHCs, a robust cytoplasmic P2X4 expression occurred throughout the cell body, with the most intense signal at the medial side. In OHCs, P2X4 formed puncta near the apical and basal ends of the cell body. Using markers for subcellular organelles, P2X4 immunoreactivity was predominately associated with the trans-Golgi network apparatus and early endosomes in IHC and with early endosomes and lysosomes in OHC in the mature cochlea. In both cell types, some co-localisation of P2X4 with presynaptic marker was also observed. Taken together, these observations suggest unique roles for P2X4 in mature IHCs and OHCs as a purinergic receptor subtype responsible for the homeostatic regulation of hair cells and auditory sensory transduction.