MITOCHONDRIA-TARGETED ANTIOXIDANT SkQR1 AMELIORATES GENTAMYCIN-INDUCED RENAL FAILURE AND HEARING LOSS
The most remarkable side effect of aminoglucoside antibiotics therapy, particularly using gentamycin, is induced nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, which significantly limits its medical application. The major mechanism of the negative effect of gentamycin on kidney cells and inner ear is mediated by a mitochondrial damage, which can be explained by the high resemblance of a mitochondrion and the bacterial cell including their similar biochemistry. As a result of mitotoxic effect of gentamycin, induction of oxidative stress occurs, resulting in cell death and organ dysfunction. In this study we analyzed the effect of mitochondria targeted antioxidant SkQR1 on gentamycin induced damage to the kidney and the inner ear. We found that SkQR1 suppresses the induced death of renal epithelial cells, diminishes the progression of renal failure mediated by gentamycin, and promotes better animal survival. Besides this, hearing efficiency lowered in gentamycin treated animals was significantly improved after SkQR1 treatment. Thus, mitochondria targeted antioxidants such as SkQR1 used in the study may be highly potent in prevention of negative impact of antibiotic therapy.