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Updated: Jul 30, 2026
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Nerve Excitability Assessment in Chemotherapy-induced Neurotoxicity
Published on: April 26, 2012
Nerve growth factor prevents experimental cisplatin neuropathy
S C Apfel1, J C Arezzo, L Lipson
1Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461.
Annals of Neurology
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Human nerve growth factor (NGF) prevents cisplatin-induced nerve damage in mice. This finding may lead to new treatments for chemotherapy patients experiencing neuropathy, allowing for more effective cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Oncology
Background:
- Cisplatin is a crucial chemotherapy drug, but its use is limited by dose-limiting sensory neuropathy.
- Preventing cisplatin neuropathy could allow for higher, more effective doses and longer treatment durations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a mouse model of cisplatin neuropathy.
- To investigate the potential of human recombinant nerve growth factor (NGF) in preventing or delaying cisplatin-induced neuropathy.
Main Methods:
- Cisplatin-induced neuropathy was modeled in mice.
- Behavioral, biochemical, and electrophysiological techniques were used for assessment.
- Effects of subcutaneous NGF administration were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Cisplatin reduced calcitonin gene-related peptide levels in sensory ganglia.
- Nerve conduction velocity and proprioception were impaired in cisplatin-treated mice.
- Co-administration of NGF prevented these cisplatin-induced abnormalities.
Conclusions:
- Subcutaneous NGF effectively prevents or delays cisplatin neuropathy in a mouse model.
- NGF holds promise for treating chemotherapy-induced neuropathy in humans.
- The established clinical profile of cisplatin neuropathy suggests a favorable setting for human NGF trials.
