[Mitochondrial 12S rRNA variants studies in 456 subjects with hearing loss in seven schools for deaf and mutes in Zhejiang province].

Our data demonstrated that the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene is the hot spot for mutations associated with aminoglycoside ototoxicity and non-syndromic hearing loss. Nuclear modifier genes, mitochondrial haplotypes and environmental factors might play a role in the phenotypic manifestation of these mutations.