Metabolic shifts in murine inner ears mimicking erythrocytes and plasma reveal diagnostics and early predictors for age-related hearing loss

This study utilized C57BL/6J mice as an animal model to systematically investigate the metabolic changes in the peripheral circulatory system and inner ear tissues at different age stages (1, 2, 10, and 16 months), and their association with age-related hearing loss (ARHL). The experimental design employed a multi-omics combined analysis approach.
Sample Collection and Processing:
Subjects: A total of 80 C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups based on age (1, 2, 10, and 16 months), with 20 mice per group.
Sample Types: Peripheral blood (isolating red blood cells and plasma) and inner ear tissues were collected.
Analytical Platforms and Methods:
1、Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS): Non-targeted metabolomic analysis was conducted using a high-resolution mass spectrometry platform.
2、Stable Isotope Tracing: 13C6-glucose was used for metabolic flux analysis to track dynamic changes in key metabolic pathways, including glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle.
3、Targeted Metabolomics: Absolute quantification of amino acids was performed.
Raw Data Files: Red blood cell metabolomics mzXML files (n=80); plasma metabolomics mzXML files (n=80); inner ear metabolomics mzXML files (n=56).