Establishment of a cochlear lymphatic vascular network and immune surveillance system following cochlear implantation
Abstract
Hearing loss is a highly prevalent sensory abnormality often addressed with cochlear implants (CI) that provide auditory rehabilitation for deaf patients. However, a universal inflammatory foreign body response (FBR) to the implanted materials negatively impacts CI outcomes. The mechanistic basis for immune cell infiltration and propagation of the FBR directed against CIs is not defined. Using mouse CI models and quantitative, highly tractable reporters for lymphatics, blood vessels, and immune cells, we identify inner ear lymphatic vessels and changes to the immune surveillance system following cochlear implantation. Histopathological analysis of implanted temporal bones from human subjects shows that both blood vessels and lymphatics are evident within the scala tympani of the implanted cochlea. Our data reveal a rich lymphatic vascular network in the inner ear, closely associated with the perilymphatic and endolymphatic spaces. Lymphatics proliferate within the perilymphatic space of the implanted cochleae and appear to traffic immune cells. Together, our data provide direct evidence that concurrent proliferation of blood vessels and recruitment of blood-borne immune cells comprise an 'immune surveillance system' in the implanted cochleae that promotes the FBR. Our findings also highlight potential opportunities to limit adverse FBR outcomes following cochlear implantation.
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BibTeX
@misc{rahman2026establishment,
title = {{Establishment of a cochlear lymphatic vascular network and immune surveillance system following cochlear implantation}},
author = {Muhammad T. Rahman and Ibrahim Razu and Shakila M Fatima and Brian J Mostaert and Bryce Hunger and Md. F. Hossain and Diana Correa and Jennifer O’Malley and Nashwaan A. Khan and Zhenshen Zhang and Osama Tarabichi and Ya Lang Enke and Robert D. Gay and Jacob Oleson and Noah S. Butler and Young-Kwon Hong and Alicia Quesnel and Alexander D. Claussen and Marlan R. Hansen},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.22.760829},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.760829v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Establishment of a cochlear lymphatic vascular network and immune surveillance system following cochlear implantation
AU - Muhammad T. Rahman
AU - Ibrahim Razu
AU - Shakila M Fatima
AU - Brian J Mostaert
AU - Bryce Hunger
AU - Md. F. Hossain
AU - Diana Correa
AU - Jennifer O’Malley
AU - Nashwaan A. Khan
AU - Zhenshen Zhang
AU - Osama Tarabichi
AU - Ya Lang Enke
AU - Robert D. Gay
AU - Jacob Oleson
AU - Noah S. Butler
AU - Young-Kwon Hong
AU - Alicia Quesnel
AU - Alexander D. Claussen
AU - Marlan R. Hansen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.22.760829
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.760829v1
AB - Hearing loss is a highly prevalent sensory abnormality often addressed with cochlear implants (CI) that provide auditory rehabilitation for deaf patients. However, a universal inflammatory foreign body response (FBR) to the implanted materials negatively impacts CI outcomes. The mechanistic basis for immune cell infiltration and propagation of the FBR directed against CIs is not defined. Using mouse CI models and quantitative, highly tractable reporters for lymphatics, blood vessels, and immune cells, we identify inner ear lymphatic vessels and changes to the immune surveillance system following cochlear implantation. Histopathological analysis of implanted temporal bones from human subjects shows that both blood vessels and lymphatics are evident within the scala tympani of the implanted cochlea. Our data reveal a rich lymphatic vascular network in the inner ear, closely associated with the perilymphatic and endolymphatic spaces. Lymphatics proliferate within the perilymphatic space of the implanted cochleae and appear to traffic immune cells. Together, our data provide direct evidence that concurrent proliferation of blood vessels and recruitment of blood-borne immune cells comprise an 'immune surveillance system' in the implanted cochleae that promotes the FBR. Our findings also highlight potential opportunities to limit adverse FBR outcomes following cochlear implantation.
SN - 2692-8205
ER -