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Attenuation of streptomycin ototoxicity by tetramethylpyrazine and its effect on K~(+) channels in the outer hair cells of guinea pig cochlea

Tang Hao, Cui Guiying, Shi Lijuan, Gao Qinghua, Cao Yu

Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University.Shenyang 110001,Liaoning

Abstract

In order to elucidate the mechanism underlying the attenuation of streptomycin ototoxicity by tetramethylpyrazine （TMP）, the present study investigated the effect of TMP on the outward K~(+) current in the outer hair cells of guinea pig cochlea. Sixty guinea pigs were divided into 6 groups randomly. Auditory brainstem response （ABR） was used to observe the change in thresholds and to evaluate ototoxicity induced by streptomycin. Whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to observe the effect of TMP on outward K~(+) current in isolated outer hair cells. The results showed that TMP attenuated the threshold shift caused by streptomycin and increased the amplitudes of Ca~(2+)-sensitive K~(+) current [I_(K(Ca))] in the outer hair cells. The present data suggest that TMP displays anti-ototoxicity induced by streptomycin. The augmented amplitudes of I_(K(Ca)) of the outer hair cells induced by TMP may be one of the mechanisms underlying its ototoxicity-attenuating effect.

Key words: Tetramethylpyrazine;Outer hair cells;streptomycin;K~(+) channel

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Citing This Article：

Tang Hao, Cui Guiying, Shi Lijuan, Gao Qinghua, Cao Yu. Attenuation of streptomycin ototoxicity by tetramethylpyrazine and its effect on K~(+) channels in the outer hair cells of guinea pig cochlea. Acta Physiol Sin 2007; 59 (4): 534-538 (in Chinese with English abstract).