Effect of cisplatin on apoptosis of spiral ganglion cell and expression of caspase-3 in mouse cochlea

Objective:To establish a mice model of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity, and to investigate the effect of cisplatin on apoptosis of spiral ganglion cell and expression of caspase-3 in mouse cochlea. Methods: Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling method (TUNEL) was used to monitor the apoptosis of spiral ganglion cell. Envision method of immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression of caspase-3 in cochlea. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was measured to observe the change of hearing. Results: The weight and hearing of mice in different dose of cisplatin groups were declined significantly as compared with those of control group (P0.05, P0.01), and the TUNEL positive cell number and expression of caspase-3 were greater remarkably with the more cisplatin injected. Conclusion: A mouse model of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity can be established. Cisplatin can lead to the apoptosis of spiral ganglion cells, and caspase-3 has participated in this apoptosis process, which approves further that apoptosis might be one of the mechanisms of cisplatin ototoxicity.