Cycloheximide blocks the toxic effect of streptomycin on guinea pig vestibular hair cells

Apoptosis has been suggested to be a predominant cell death process for str eptomycin-induced degeneration of vestibular hair cells. However, the bioch emical aspects of this have not been studied. The purpose of this study was to examine the biochemical aspects of apoptosis of vestibular hair cells c aused by streptomycin. Cycloheximide is a widely used protein synthesis inh ibitor in studies of apoptosis. We therefore investigated cycloheximide eff ects on degeneration of vestibular hair cells following streptomycin applic ations. Supplements of cycloheximide significantly prevented DNA fragmentat ion in hair cell nuclei and reduced the loss of hair cells. This suggests t hat cpcloheximide possibly inhibits apoptosis of hair cells and attenuates streptomycin-induced degeneration of the vestibular epithelium.