Fursultiamine Prevents Drug-Induced Ototoxicity by Reducing Accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species in Mouse Cochlea

Drug-induced hearing loss is a major type of acquired sensorineural hearing loss. Cisplatin and aminoglycoside antibiotics have been known to cause ototoxicity, and excessive accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) are suggested as the common major pathology of cisplatin- and aminoglycoside antibiotics-induced ototoxicity. Fursultiamine, also called thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide, is a thiamine disulfide derivative that may have antioxidant effects. To evaluate whether fursultiamine can prevent cisplatin- and kanamycin-induced ototoxicity, we investigated their preventive potential using mouse cochlear explant culture system. Immunofluorescence staining of mouse cochlear hair cells showed that fursultiamine pretreatment reduced cisplatin- and kanamycin-induced damage to both inner and outer hair cells. Fursultiamine attenuated mitochondrial ROS accumulation as evidenced by MitoSOX Red staining and restored mitochondrial membrane potential in a JC-1 assay. In addition, fursultiamine pretreatment reduced active caspase-3 and TUNEL signals after cisplatin or kanamycin treatment, indicating that fursultiamine decreased apoptotic hair cell death. This study is the first to show a protective effect of fursultiamine against cisplatin- and aminoglycoside antibiotics-induced ototoxicity. Our results suggest that fursultiamine could act as an antioxidant and anti-apoptotic agent against mitochondrial oxidative stress.in cochlear hair cells