Neurobiology of Disease (Aug 2009)

Experimental epothilone B neurotoxicity: Results of in vitro and in vivo studies

  • Alessia Chiorazzi,
  • Gabriella Nicolini,
  • Annalisa Canta,
  • Norberto Oggioni,
  • Roberta Rigolio,
  • Giacomo Cossa,
  • Raffaella Lombardi,
  • Ilaria Roglio,
  • Ilaria Cervellini,
  • Giuseppe Lauria,
  • Roberto Cosimo Melcangi,
  • Roberto Bianchi,
  • Donatella Crippa,
  • Guido Cavaletti

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 35, no. 2
pp. 270 – 277

Abstract

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Epothilones are a novel class of microtubule-targeting anticancer agents that are neurotoxic. In this study, we investigated the epothilone B toxic effect in vitro and we characterized in vivo the general and neurological side effects of epothilone B administration in Wistar and Fischer rats.The in vitro experiments made it possible to explore a wide concentration range (0.1 nM–1 μM) and evidenced a dose-dependent effect of epothilone B exposure on neuron neurite elongation. This dose-dependent neurotoxic effect was confirmed in both in vivo studies performed on two different rat strains at the neurophysiological, behavioral and pathological levels in the dose range 0.25–1.5 mg/kg iv weekly×4 weeks and tubulin hyper-polymerization was demonstrated in sciatic nerve specimens.These are the first studies of the neurological effects of epothilone B and they can provide a basis for extending pre-clinical investigation to other members of the epothilone family.

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