D-methionine attenuates inner hair cell loss in carboplatin-treated chinchillas

Carboplatin, a second-generation platinum-based antineoplastic drug, prefer entially destroys inner hair cells (IHCs) in the chinchilla while sparing o uter hair cells (OHCs), D-Methionine (D-Met), a sulfur-containing amino aci d, has been shown to protect hair cells from cisplatin damage in rats, but its ability to protect IHCs from carboplatin damage has not yet been evalua ted in the chinchilla, We tested whether D-Met would protect the hair cells in the chinchilla from carboplatin, Animals were divided into two groups: a control group that only received carboplatin (100 mg/kg, i.p.) and an exp erimental group that received 300 mg/kg D-Met (i.p.) 30 min before carbopla tin treatment. Ototoxicity was assessed by measuring the amount of IHC and OHC loss. Average IHC loss in the group treated with D-Met was 62% compared with 84% in the untreated control group. Thus, D-Met causes a statisticall y significant reduction in IHC loss induced by carboplatin. Copyright (C) 2 000 S. Karger AG. Basel.