Puromycin-induced lipid peroxidation in the cochlea of ApoE knockout mice

Puromycin-treated apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-deficient mice were used to study lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the cochlea. Puromycin causes accelerated pero xidation of lipids and induces both inner ear and renal lesions in experime ntal animals presenting with abnormally high serum cholesterol. Po prevent LPO, we used probucol, an effective inhibitor of LPO, and, simultaneously, also a lipid-lowering drug. The mice were given a single injection of the a minonucleoside of puromycin (25 mg/100 g). Polyclonal malondialdehyde and 1 -hydroxynonenal antibodies Mere used to localize the LPO products. LPO prod ucts were mainly found in the stria vascularis of puromycin-treated mice. N o LPO products were observed in the hair cells. LPO product immunoreactivit y was clearly diminished in the animal group treated with both puromycin an d probucol. In the cochlea of the ApoE-deficient mouse, puromycin affects m ainly the stria vascularis due to the accelerated peroxidation of structura l lipids. Probucol treatment prevented the formation of LPO products.