DRG Explant Model for Understanding Mechanism of Oxaliplatin-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy and Identifying Potential Therapeutic Targets

Oxaliplatin-triggered chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and debilitating side effect of cancer treatment that limits the efficacy of chemotherapy and negatively impacts patients’ quality of life dramatically. To better understand the mechanisms of CIPN and to screen for potential therapeutic targets, it is critical to have reliable in vitro assays that effectively mirror the neuropathy in vivo. In this study, we established a dorsal root ganglia (DRG) explant model. This model displayed dose-dependent inhibition of neurite outgrowth in response to oxaliplatin, while oxalic acid exhibited no significant impact on the regrowth of DRG. The robustness of this assay was further demonstrated by the inhibition of OCT2 transporter, which facilitates oxaliplatin accumulation in neurons, largely restoring the neurite regrowth capacity. Using this model, we revealed that oxaliplatin triggered a substantial increase of oxidative stress in DRG. Notably, inhibition of TXNIP with verapamil reduced oxidative stress levels. Our results demonstrated the use of DRG explants as an efficient model to study the mechanisms of CIPN and screen for potential treatments.