Alteration of the calcium content in inner hair cells of the cochlea of the guinea pig after acute noise trauma with and without application of the organic calcium channel blocker diltiazem.

Calcium ions are known to be important to the process of signal transduction across the apical and basal sides of the inner hair cells. Calcium channel antagonists have been demonstrated by light microscopy to provide protection against acoustic trauma. To evaluate the protective effect of calcium channel blocker on the inner ear cells to noise exposure, the amount of the histochemical reaction products formed in the cytoplasm of the inner hair cells of the guinea pig after application of pyroantimonate was measured by an image processing system connected to an energy-filtering transmission electron microscope (EFTEM). Compared to untreated control specimens (experimental animal group I) the amount of precipitable calcium had clearly increased in the inner hair cells of noise-exposed cochleae 60 h after an acute noise trauma (group III). In addition, small electron- lucent areas could be identified in the cytoplasm of the hair cells probably representing damage to the cellular fine structure. When the calcium channel blocker diltiazem was administered without any additional noise exposure the calcium content was drastically reduced in the inner hair cells (group II), but when the antagonist was given before and after acute noise trauma (group IV), the calcium content in the inner hair cells was nearly compared to the amount determined in the untreated group of animals. The role of diltiazem is discussed in respect of tissue protection and to the maintenance of the calcium-dependent physiological processes in the inner hair cells during signal transduction.