European Journal of Histochemistry 2021; volume 65(s1):3285

Jacopo J.V. Branca, Donatello Carrino, Ferdinando Paternostro, Massimo Gulisano, Matteo Becatti, Lorenzo Di Cesare Mannelli, Alessandra Pacini

Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Anatomy Section
Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”
Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), Pharmacology and
Toxicology Section, University of Florence, Italy

Abstract

Oxaliplatin is a third-generation chemotherapy drug mainly used for colorectal cancer treatment. However, it is also known to trigger neuropathy whose underlying neurobiological mechanisms are still under investigation and currently available treatments show limited efficacy. It is now established that neurons are not the only cell type involved in chronic pain and that glial cells, mainly microglia and astrocytes, are implicated in the initiation and maintenance of neuropathy. Among all the pathogenetic factors involved in neuropathic pain, an oxaliplatin-dependent oxidative stress plays a predominant role. In our study, the antioxidant properties of magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) salts were evaluated in order to counteract microglial activation induced by oxaliplatin. The antioxidant efficacy of these metals was evaluated by means of molecular and morphological assays on the BV-2 microglial cell line. Our data clearly show that Mg, Mn and Zn salts are able to prevent oxaliplatin-dependent microglial alterations by reducing both oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Key words: Neuropathic pain; oxaliplatin; magnesium; manganese; zinc.

Full text: https://www.ejh.it/index.php/ejh/article/view/3285