Integrative network toxicology and proteomics identifies key pathways in gentamicin-induced ototoxicity.

Abstract

Gentamicin (GEN), a representative aminoglycoside antibiotic, plays an irreplaceable role in clinical anti-infective therapy. However, its ototoxicity is one of the major adverse effects that limit long-term or high-dose application. Ototoxicity is mainly manifested as irreversible apoptosis of inner ear hair cells and progressive loss of auditory and vestibular function, severely affecting patients' quality of life. Currently, its specific molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood, and effective early warning indicators and intervention targets are lacking. This study systematically reveals the multidimensional molecular mechanisms of gentamicin-induced ototoxicity through integrated computational prediction and animal experimental validation. Network toxicology predictions suggest that gentamicin may disrupt inner ear cellular homeostasis by interfering with signaling pathways such as HIF-1, PI3K-Akt, and FoxO, as well as autophagy processes. Proteomic results further confirm that gentamicin injury induces widespread changes in protein expression, involving activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, dysregulation of autophagy, complement system-mediated inflammatory responses, and downregulation of synaptic function-related proteins. These changes collectively lead to structural damage, metabolic disturbance, immune-inflammatory activation, and functional loss of vestibular hair cells, forming a complex toxicity network. The core targets (e.g., Pten, Stat3) and key pathways (e.g., complement and coagulation cascades, energy metabolism, PI3K-Akt signaling) identified in this study provide clear directions for subsequent functional validation. Meanwhile, the differentially expressed protein profiles, particularly those molecules that change significantly in the early stages of injury, hold promise as liquid biopsy biomarkers for clinical monitoring, enabling early warning of ototoxicity.