Objective: Water homeostasis is essential for the inner ear to maintain the function of hearing and equilibrium. Bumetanide inhibits Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) co-transporter (NKCC), which is expressed in the basolateral membrane of stria vascularis marginal cell, and it causes the enlargement of intrastrial space. Aquaporin (AQP) 2 is expressed in the perilymph side of stria vascularis basal cell, and the vasopressin type 2 antagonist OPC-31260 produces downregulation of AQP2 mRNA levels in the inner ear. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of OPC-31260 on experimentally induced enlargement of the intrastrial space caused by bumetanide.
Materials and methods: Wistar rats were divided into two groups, a BUM group and an OPC-BUM group. The BUM group was exposed to bumetanide, and the OPC-BUM group was exposed to bumetanide after being premedicated with OPC-31260. The specimens of the stria vascularis were observed using transmission electron microscopy and analyzed quantitatively and statistically.
Results: Morphological changes of intrastrial space enlargement occurred in both the BUM and OPC-BUM groups. The ratio of the areas of the intrastrial space area to the stria vascularis were calculated, and the OPC-BUM group mean showed a minimal difference from the BUM-group mean. However, there is no statistical difference.
Conclusions: Premedication of rats with OPC-31260 tended to reduce bumetanide-induced enlargement of the intrastrial space. This may indicate that the effect of bumetanide on the stria vascularis is much stronger than that of OPC-31260.