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Pozzi E, Terribile G, Cherchi L, Di Girolamo S, Sancini G, Alberti P. Ion Channel and Transporter Involvement in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6552. [PMID: 38928257 PMCID: PMC11203899 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The peripheral nervous system can encounter alterations due to exposure to some of the most commonly used anticancer drugs (platinum drugs, taxanes, vinca alkaloids, proteasome inhibitors, thalidomide), the so-called chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN). CIPN can be long-lasting or even permanent, and it is detrimental for the quality of life of cancer survivors, being associated with persistent disturbances such as sensory loss and neuropathic pain at limb extremities due to a mostly sensory axonal polyneuropathy/neuronopathy. In the state of the art, there is no efficacious preventive/curative treatment for this condition. Among the reasons for this unmet clinical and scientific need, there is an uncomplete knowledge of the pathogenetic mechanisms. Ion channels and transporters are pivotal elements in both the central and peripheral nervous system, and there is a growing body of literature suggesting that they might play a role in CIPN development. In this review, we first describe the biophysical properties of these targets and then report existing data for the involvement of ion channels and transporters in CIPN, thus paving the way for new approaches/druggable targets to cure and/or prevent CIPN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Pozzi
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.P.); (L.C.); (S.D.G.)
| | - Giulia Terribile
- Human Physiology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (G.T.); (G.S.)
| | - Laura Cherchi
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.P.); (L.C.); (S.D.G.)
| | - Sara Di Girolamo
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.P.); (L.C.); (S.D.G.)
| | - Giulio Sancini
- Human Physiology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (G.T.); (G.S.)
| | - Paola Alberti
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; (E.P.); (L.C.); (S.D.G.)
- Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
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Chiorazzi A, Canta A, Carozzi VA, Meregalli C, Pozzi E, Ballarini E, Rodriguez-Menendez V, Marmiroli P, Cavaletti G, Alberti P. Morphofunctional characterisation of axonal damage in different rat models of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity: The role of nerve excitability testing. J Peripher Nerv Syst 2024; 29:47-57. [PMID: 38009865 DOI: 10.1111/jns.12607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) is a common and long-lasting adverse event of several anticancer compounds, for which treatment has not yet been developed. To fill this gap, preclinical studies are warranted, exploiting highly translational outcome measure(s) to transfer data from bench to bedside. Nerve excitability testing (NET) enables to test in vivo axonal properties and can be used to monitor early changes leading to axonal damage. METHODS We tested NET use in two different CIPN rat models: oxaliplatin (OHP) and paclitaxel (PTX). Animals (female) were chronically treated with either PTX or OHP and compared to respective control animals. NET was performed as soon as the first injection was administered. At the end of the treatment, CIPN onset was verified via a multimodal and robust approach: nerve conduction studies, nerve morphometry, behavioural tests and intraepidermal nerve fibre density. RESULTS NET showed the typical pattern of axonal hyperexcitability in the 72 h following the first OHP administration, whereas it showed precocious signs of axonal damage in PTX animals. At the end of the month of treatment, OHP animals showed a pattern compatible with a mild axonal sensory polyneuropathy. Instead, PTX cohort was characterised by a rather severe sensory axonal polyneuropathy with minor signs of motor involvement. INTERPRETATION NET after the first administration demonstrated the ongoing OHP-related channelopathy, whereas in PTX cohort it showed precocious signs of axonal damage. Therefore, NET could be suggested as an early surrogate marker in clinical trials, to detect precocious changes leading to axonal damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Chiorazzi
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Canta
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Alda Carozzi
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Meregalli
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Pozzi
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Ballarini
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
| | - Virginia Rodriguez-Menendez
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Marmiroli
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
| | - Guido Cavaletti
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
- Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
| | - Paola Alberti
- Experimental Neurology Unit, School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), Milan, Italy
- Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
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Ballarini E, Malacrida A, Rodriguez-Menendez V, Pozzi E, Canta A, Chiorazzi A, Monza L, Semperboni S, Meregalli C, Carozzi VA, Hashemi M, Nicolini G, Scuteri A, Housley SN, Cavaletti G, Alberti P. Sodium-Calcium Exchanger 2: A Pivotal Role in Oxaliplatin Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity and Axonal Damage? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:10063. [PMID: 36077454 PMCID: PMC9456447 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxaliplatin (OHP)-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (OIPN) is a frequent adverse event of colorectal cancer treatment. OIPN encompasses a chronic and an acute syndrome. The latter consists of transient axonal hyperexcitability, due to unbalance in Na+ voltage-operated channels (Na+VOC). This leads to sustained depolarisation which can activate the reverse mode of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger 2 (NCX2), resulting in toxic Ca2+ accumulation and axonal damage (ADa). We explored the role of NCX2 in in vitro and in vivo settings. Embryonic rat Dorsal Root Ganglia (DRG) organotypic cultures treated with SEA0400 (SEA), a NCX inhibitor, were used to assess neuroprotection in a proof-of-concept and pilot study to exploit NCX modulation to prevent ADa. In vivo, OHP treated mice (7 mg/Kg, i.v., once a week for 8 weeks) were compared with a vehicle-treated group (n = 12 each). Neurophysiological and behavioural testing were performed to characterise acute and chronic OIPN, and morphological analyses were performed to detect ADa. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blotting (WB) analyses were also performed to demonstrate changes in NCX2 immunoreactivity and protein expression. In vitro, NCX inhibition was matched by ADa mitigation. In the in vivo part, after verifyingboth acute and chronic OIPN had ensued, we confirmed via immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and WB that a significant NCX2 alteration had ensued in the OHP group. Our data suggest NCX2 involvement in ADa development, paving the way to a new line of research to prevent OIPN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Ballarini
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessio Malacrida
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Virginia Rodriguez-Menendez
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Pozzi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Canta
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Chiorazzi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Monza
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Semperboni
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Meregalli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Alda Carozzi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Maryamsadat Hashemi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriella Nicolini
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Arianna Scuteri
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Stephen N. Housley
- Integrated Cancer Research Center, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Guido Cavaletti
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Alberti
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
- NeuroMI (Milan Center for Neuroscience), 20126 Milan, Italy
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Current and Emerging Pharmacotherapeutic Interventions for the Treatment of Peripheral Nerve Disorders. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15050607. [PMID: 35631433 PMCID: PMC9144529 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral nerve disorders are caused by a range of different aetiologies. The range of causes include metabolic conditions such as diabetes, obesity and chronic kidney disease. Diabetic neuropathy may be associated with severe weakness and the loss of sensation, leading to gangrene and amputation in advanced cases. Recent studies have indicated a high prevalence of neuropathy in patients with chronic kidney disease, also known as uraemic neuropathy. Immune-mediated neuropathies including Guillain-Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy may cause significant physical disability. As survival rates continue to improve in cancer, the prevalence of treatment complications, such as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, has also increased in treated patients and survivors. Notably, peripheral neuropathy associated with these conditions may be chronic and long-lasting, drastically affecting the quality of life of affected individuals, and leading to a large socioeconomic burden. This review article explores some of the major emerging clinical and experimental therapeutic agents that have been investigated for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy due to metabolic, toxic and immune aetiologies.
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Burgess J, Ferdousi M, Gosal D, Boon C, Matsumoto K, Marshall A, Mak T, Marshall A, Frank B, Malik RA, Alam U. Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Epidemiology, Pathomechanisms and Treatment. Oncol Ther 2021; 9:385-450. [PMID: 34655433 PMCID: PMC8593126 DOI: 10.1007/s40487-021-00168-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This review provides an update on the current clinical, epidemiological and pathophysiological evidence alongside the diagnostic, prevention and treatment approach to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). FINDINGS The incidence of cancer and long-term survival after treatment is increasing. CIPN affects sensory, motor and autonomic nerves and is one of the most common adverse events caused by chemotherapeutic agents, which in severe cases leads to dose reduction or treatment cessation, with increased mortality. The primary classes of chemotherapeutic agents associated with CIPN are platinum-based drugs, taxanes, vinca alkaloids, bortezomib and thalidomide. Platinum agents are the most neurotoxic, with oxaliplatin causing the highest prevalence of CIPN. CIPN can progress from acute to chronic, may deteriorate even after treatment cessation (a phenomenon known as coasting) or only partially attenuate. Different chemotherapeutic agents share both similarities and key differences in pathophysiology and clinical presentation. The diagnosis of CIPN relies heavily on identifying symptoms, with limited objective diagnostic approaches targeting the class of affected nerve fibres. Studies have consistently failed to identify at-risk cohorts, and there are no proven strategies or interventions to prevent or limit the development of CIPN. Furthermore, multiple treatments developed to relieve symptoms and to modify the underlying disease in CIPN have failed. IMPLICATIONS The increasing prevalence of CIPN demands an objective approach to identify at-risk patients in order to prevent or limit progression and effectively alleviate the symptoms associated with CIPN. An evidence base for novel targets and both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments is beginning to emerge and has been recognised recently in publications by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and analgesic trial design expert groups such as ACTTION.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Burgess
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, The Pain Research Institute, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK.
- Clinical Sciences Centre, Aintree University Hospital, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, L9 7AL, UK.
| | - Maryam Ferdousi
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, NIHR/Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, Manchester, UK
| | - David Gosal
- Department of Neurology, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
| | - Cheng Boon
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Wolverhampton, UK
| | - Kohei Matsumoto
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, The Pain Research Institute, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Anne Marshall
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, The Pain Research Institute, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Tony Mak
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Andrew Marshall
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L7 8TX, UK
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, The Pain Research Institute, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L9 7AL, UK
- Department of Pain Medicine, The Walton Centre, Liverpool, L9 7LJ, UK
| | - Bernhard Frank
- Department of Pain Medicine, The Walton Centre, Liverpool, L9 7LJ, UK
| | - Rayaz A Malik
- Research Division, Qatar Foundation, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Doha, Qatar
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Uazman Alam
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, The Pain Research Institute, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK.
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Gastroenterology, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
- Clinical Sciences Centre, Aintree University Hospital, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, L9 7AL, UK.
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Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Park SB, Krishnan AV, Markoulli M. Corneal nerve changes following treatment with neurotoxic anticancer drugs. Ocul Surf 2021; 21:221-237. [PMID: 34144206 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Survival rates of cancer has improved with the development of anticancer drugs including systemic chemotherapeutic agents. However, long-lasting side effects could impact treated patients. Neurotoxic anticancer drugs are specific agents which cause chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a debilitating condition that severely deteriorates quality of life of cancer patients and survivors. The ocular surface is also prone to neurotoxicity but investigation into the effects of neurotoxic chemotherapy on the ocular surface has been more limited compared to other systemic etiologies such as diabetes. There is also no standardized protocol for CIPN diagnosis with an absence of a reliable, objective method of observing nerve damage structurally. As the cornea is the most densely innervated region of the body, researchers have started to focus on corneal neuropathic changes that are associated with neurotoxic chemotherapy treatment. In-vivo corneal confocal microscopy enables rapid and objective structural imaging of ocular surface microscopic structures such as corneal nerves, while esthesiometers provide means of functional assessment by examining corneal sensitivity. The current article explores the current guidelines and gaps in our knowledge of CIPN diagnosis and the potential role of in-vivo corneal confocal microscopy as a diagnostic or prognostic tool. Corneal neuropathic changes with neurotoxic anticancer drugs from animal research progressing through to human clinical studies are also discussed, with a focus on how these data inform our understanding of CIPN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Chung Bo Chiang
- School of Optometry & Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - David Goldstein
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Susanna B Park
- Brain and Mind Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Arun V Krishnan
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Maria Markoulli
- School of Optometry & Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Lowy DB, Makker PGS, Moalem-Taylor G. Cutaneous Neuroimmune Interactions in Peripheral Neuropathic Pain States. Front Immunol 2021; 12:660203. [PMID: 33912189 PMCID: PMC8071857 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.660203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bidirectional interplay between the peripheral immune and nervous systems plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and responding to noxious stimuli. This crosstalk is facilitated by a variety of cytokines, inflammatory mediators and neuropeptides. Dysregulation of this delicate physiological balance is implicated in the pathological mechanisms of various skin disorders and peripheral neuropathies. The skin is a highly complex biological structure within which peripheral sensory nerve terminals and immune cells colocalise. Herein, we provide an overview of the sensory innervation of the skin and immune cells resident to the skin. We discuss modulation of cutaneous immune response by sensory neurons and their mediators (e.g., nociceptor-derived neuropeptides), and sensory neuron regulation by cutaneous immune cells (e.g., nociceptor sensitization by immune-derived mediators). In particular, we discuss recent findings concerning neuroimmune communication in skin infections, psoriasis, allergic contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis. We then summarize evidence of neuroimmune mechanisms in the skin in the context of peripheral neuropathic pain states, including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, diabetic polyneuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, HIV-induced neuropathy, as well as entrapment and traumatic neuropathies. Finally, we highlight the future promise of emerging therapies associated with skin neuroimmune crosstalk in neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Lowy
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Preet G S Makker
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gila Moalem-Taylor
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Addressing the Need of a Translational Approach in Peripheral Neuropathy Research: Morphology Meets Function. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11020139. [PMID: 33499072 PMCID: PMC7911498 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11020139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral neuropathies (PNs) are a type of common disease that hampers the quality of life of affected people. Treatment, in most cases, is just symptomatic and often ineffective. To improve drug discovery in this field, preclinical evidence is warranted. In vivo rodent models allow a multiparametric approach to test new therapeutic strategies, since they can allow pathogenetic and morphological studies different from the clinical setting. However, human readouts are warranted to promptly translate data from the bench to the bedside. A feasible solution would be neurophysiology, performed similarly at both sides. We describe a simple protocol that reproduces the standard clinical protocol of a neurophysiology hospital department. We devised the optimal montage for sensory and motor recordings (neurography) in mice, and we also implemented F wave testing and a short electromyography (EMG) protocol at rest. We challenged this algorithm by comparing control animals (BALB/c mice) with a model of mild neuropathy to grasp even subtle changes. The neurophysiological results were confirmed with neuropathology. The treatment group showed all expected alterations. Moreover, the neurophysiology matched the neuropathological analyses. Therefore, our protocol can be suggested to promptly translate data from the bench to the bedside and vice versa.
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Makker PGS, Keating BA, Lees JG, Burke D, Howells J, Moalem-Taylor G. Electrophysiological investigation of motor axonal excitability in a mouse model of nerve constriction injury. J Peripher Nerv Syst 2021; 26:99-112. [PMID: 33432642 DOI: 10.1111/jns.12430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Peripheral nerve injuries caused by focal constriction are characterised by local nerve ischaemia, axonal degeneration, demyelination, and neuroinflammation. The aim of this study was to understand temporal changes in the excitability properties of injured motor axons in a mouse model of nerve constriction injury (NCI). The excitability of motor axons following unilateral sciatic NCI was studied in male C57BL/6J mice distal to the site of injury at the acute (6 hours-1 week) and chronic (up to 20 weeks) phases of injury, using threshold tracking. Multiple measures of nerve excitability, including strength-duration properties, threshold electrotonus, current-threshold relationship, and recovery cycle were examined using the automated nerve excitability protocol (TRONDNF). Acutely, injured motor axons developed a pattern of excitability characteristic of ischemic depolarisation. In most cases, the sciatic nerve became transiently inexcitable. When a liminal compound muscle action potential could again be recorded, it had an increase in threshold and latency, compared to both pre-injury baseline and sham-injured groups. These axons showed a greater threshold change in response to hyperpolarising threshold electrotonus and a significant upward shift in the recovery cycle. Mathematical modelling suggested that the changes seen in chronically injured axons involve shortened internodes, reduced myelination, and exposed juxtaparanodal fast K+ conductances. The findings of this study demonstrate long-term changes in motor excitability following NCI (involving alterations in axonal properties and ion channel activity) and are important for understanding the mechanisms of neurapraxic injuries and traumatic mononeuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preet G S Makker
- Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brooke A Keating
- Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Justin G Lees
- Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Burke
- Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - James Howells
- Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gila Moalem-Taylor
- Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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