Effect of Recombinant Human Nerve Growth Factor on Cisplatin Neurotoxicity in Rats

• Published in: Experimental neurology 1999-10, Vol.159 (2), p.551-558
• Main Authors: Tredici, Giovanni, Braga, Massimiliano, Nicolini, Gabriella, Miloso, Mariarosaria, Marmiroli, Paola, Schenone, Angelo, Nobbio, Lucilla, Frattola, Lodovico, Cavaletti, Guido
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; cisplatin; Cisplatin - toxicity; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Female; Ganglia, Spinal - drug effects; Ganglia, Spinal - pathology; Ganglia, Spinal - physiology; Humans; Medical sciences; nerve growth factor; Nerve Growth Factors - pharmacology; Neural Conduction - drug effects; neurophysiology; neuroprotection; Neurotoxins - toxicity; Pain - physiopathology; pathology; peripheral neuropathy; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacology; Sciatic Nerve - drug effects; Sciatic Nerve - pathology; Sciatic Nerve - physiology; Time Factors; Toxicity: nervous system and muscle
• ISSN: 0014-4886; 1090-2430
• DOI: 10.1006/exnr.1999.7174

In this study we evaluated the effect of recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF) on cisplatin (CDDP)-induced sensory neuronopathy in an experimental paradigm in the rat. Young adult female Wistar rats were treated with CDDP (2 mg/kg ip twice weekly for nine times) alone or in combination with rhNGF (1 mg/kg sc on alternate days). The effect of CDDP ± NGF treatment was evaluated with behavioral (tail-flick test) and neurophysiological (nerve conduction velocity in the tail) methods immediately after treatment and after a follow-up period of 6 weeks. Pathological and morphometrical examinations of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and sciatic and saphenous nerves were also performed. rhNGF treatment induced a significant reduction in the CDDP-induced decrease in nerve conduction velocity (P