A fruit fly model for studying paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy and hyperalgesia

Zina Hamoudi; Thang Manh Khuong; Tiffany Cole; G Gregory Neely

doi:10.12688/f1000research.13581.2

A fruit fly model for studying paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy and hyperalgesia

F1000Res. 2018 Jan 23:7:99. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.13581.2. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Zina Hamoudi^{1

2}, Thang Manh Khuong^{1

2}, Tiffany Cole^{1

2}, G Gregory Neely^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
² University of Sydney, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Background: Paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common and limiting side effect of an approved and effective chemotherapeutic agent. The cause of this nociception is still unknown. Methods: To uncover the mechanism involved in paclitaxel-induced pain, we developed a Drosophila thermal nociceptive model to show the effects of paclitaxel exposure on third instar larvae. Results: We found that paclitaxel increases heat nociception in a dose-dependent manner, and at the highest doses also obstructs dendritic repulsion cues. Conclusions: Our simple system can be applied to identify regulators of chemotherapy-induced pain and may help to eliminate pain-related side-effects of chemotherapy.

Keywords: CIPN; Drosophila; fruit fly; nociception; paclitaxel; pain.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / toxicity*
Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
Disease Models, Animal*
Drosophila melanogaster / drug effects*
Female
Male
Nociception / drug effects*
Paclitaxel / toxicity*

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
Paclitaxel

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part through NHMRC project grants APP1026310, APP1029672, APP1028887, APP1046090, APP1042416, APP1086851, and by a NHMRC career development fellowship II CDF1111940.