Nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB) is one of the best-characterized transcription factors playing important roles in many cellular responses to a large variety of stimuli,including inflammatory cytokines, phorbol esters, growth factors, and bacterial and viral products. The aim of this study is to demonstrate NF-κB expression in the mouse cochlea and its enhancement in response to lipopolysaccharides(LPS) and kanamycin(KA) treatment. Methods KA treatment consisted of subcutaneous KA injections at 700 mg/kg twice a day with an eight-hour interval between the two injections for 3 or 7 days. For animals in the LPS treatment group, a single dose of 0.3 mg LPS dissolved in 0.2 ml sterile saline were injected into both bullae through the tympanic membrane and kept there for 3 hours. Animals in the control group received subcutaneous saline injection for 7 days. Following immmunohistochemichal processing with rabbit polyclonal anti-NF-κB p65 antibodies, cryosections of the cochlea were examined for expression of NF-κB p65 in various structures in the cochlea. Results NF-κB p65 expression, identified by presence of brown reaction products characteristic of DAB immunohistochemistry, was visible in the spiral ligament, spiral prominence, tectorial membrane(TM), spiral ganglion and nerve fibers. Relatively weak NF-κB p65 expression was also visualized in the organ of Corti. Within the organ of Corti, the inner hair cells(IHC), outer hair cells(OHC), inner pillar cells(IP), outer pillar cells (OP), Deiter’s cells(DC), and Boettcher’s cells exhibited stronger staining than the inner sulcus cells, Hensen’s cells(HC) and Claudius’cells. No NF-κB p65 expression was seen in the nucleus of the IHC and OHC. NF-κB p65 expression was increased in animals exposed to LPS or KA, demonstrating significant differences in the staining between control animals and LPS/KA-treated animals. NF-κB p65 expression was not significantly different between LPS treated and KA treated animals or between 3 and 7 days in KA-treated animals. Conclusion LPS and KA exposure increases expression of NF-κB p65 in the mouse cochlea. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is one of the best-characterized transcription factors playing important roles in many cellular responses to a large variety of stimuli, including inflammatory cytokines, phorbol esters, growth factors, and bacterial and viral products. The aim of this study is to demonstrate NF-κB expression in the mouse cochlea and its enhancement in response to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and kanamycin (KA) treatment. Methods KA treatment consisted of subcutaneous KA injections at 700 mg / kg twice a day with an eight -hour interval between the two injections for 3 or 7 days. For animals in the LPS treatment group, a single dose of 0.3 mg LPS dissolved in 0.2 ml sterile saline was injected into both tympanic membranes and kept there for 3 hours. Animals in the control group received subcutaneous saline injection for 7 days. Following immmunohistochemichal processing with rabbit polyclonal anti-NF-κB p65 antibodies, cryosections of the cochlea were examined Results by NF-κB p65 expression, identified by presence of brown reaction products characteristic of DAB immunohistochemistry, was visible in the spiral ligament, spiral prominence, tectorial membrane (TM), spiral Within the organ of Corti, the inner hair cells (IHC), outer hair cells (OHC), inner pillar cells (IP), outer The cells (OP), Deiter’s cells (DC), and Boettcher’s cells demonstrated stronger staining than the inner sulcus cells, Hensen’s cells (HC) and Claudius cells. No NF-κB p65 expression was seen in the nucleus of the IHC and OHC . NF-κB p65 expression was increased in animals exposed to LPS or KA, demonstrating significant differences in the staining between control animals and LPS / KA-treated animals. NF-κB p65 expression was not significantly different between LPS treated and KA treated animals or betwe en 3 and7 days in KA-treated animals. Conclusion LPS and KA exposure increases expression of NF-κB p65 in the mouse cochlea.