Fig. 5

Changes in caspase-3-mediated apoptosis in the SV of mice. (A) Representative images showing the expression and localization of c-Cas3 protein and TUNEL-positive cells in the cochlear SV of mice in the control, D-gal-L, and D-gal-H groups. Scale bars = 25 μm. The c-Cas3 protein expression in the SV of the mice of the D-gal-L group was significantly higher than that of the control group but lower compared to that of the D-gal-H group. Compared with that of the D-gal-L group, a greater number of TUNEL-positive cells was found in the mice of the D-gal-H group; Almost no TUNEL-positive cells were found in the SV of mice in the control group. (Green: c-Cas3; red: TUNEL; blue: DAPI). (B) The expression of c-Cas3 protein in the SV of the mice in the D-gal-L group was significantly higher than those of the control group but lower compared to that of the D-gal-H group. (C) The number of TUNEL-positive cells in the SV of the mice of the D-gal-L group was significantly higher than that of the control group but lower compared to that of the D-gal-H group. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD of 6 mice per group. **, P < 0.01 vs. the control group; ^^, P < 0.01 vs. the D-gal-L group