Inflammasome activation in mouse inner ear in response to MCMV induced hearing loss.

Objective: To identify presence of inflammasome activated in mouse cochlea with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.

Method: MCMV was injected into the right cerebral hemisphere in neonatal BALB/c mice at 2000 pfu virus titers. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were tested to evaluate hearing at 21 days.