title: Gentamicin ototoxicity in the saccule of the lizard Podarcis Sicula induces hair cell recovery and regeneration.
abstract: There is little information available on the susceptibility of reptilian saccule hair cells to ototoxin-induced sensory damage. In this study, we report morphological evidence of hair cell recovery and regeneration after damage induced by gentamicin in the saccule of a lizard. We perform morphological analysis using scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy with actin and calbindin as markers for hair cells and tubulin as a marker for supporting cells. The data were consistent: gentamicin induced damage in the hair cells, and the damage increased with increasing duration of treatment. Initially, the saccule appeared unhealthy. Subsequently, the sensory hair cells became compromised, with fused stereovilli, followed by widespread loss of hair cell bundles from the hair cells. Finally, numerous hair cells were lost. Morphologically, the saccule appeared normal 28days after gentamicin treatment. Using a mitogenic marker, we tested whether or not there is hair cell regeneration following administration of gentamicin. We found evidence of bromodeoxyuridine incorporation first in supporting cell nuclei and subsequently in hair cell nuclei. This indicates that a process of sensory epithelium repair and hair cell regeneration occurred, in both extrastriolar and striolar regions, and that the recovery was due to both the proliferation of supporting cells and, as seems likely, self-repair of hair cell bundles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Section of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Naples Federico II, via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy. bice.avallon@unina.it
authors.forename: Bice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Avallone
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fascio
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balsamo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marmo
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D064026:Calbindins; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000633:toxicity*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007760:Labyrinth Supporting Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008116:Lizards; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism; D012444:Saccule and Utricle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013997:Time Factors; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D064026:Calbindins; D005839:Gentamicins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D014404:Tubulin; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine