Abstract
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a dose-limiting adverse event associated with treatment with paclitaxel and other chemotherapeutic agents. The prevention and treatment of CIPN are limited by a lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying this toxicity. In the current study, a human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived sensory neuron (iPSC-SN) model was developed for the study of chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity. The iPSC-SNs express proteins characteristic of nociceptor, mechanoreceptor and proprioceptor sensory neurons and show Ca2+ influx in response to capsaicin, α,β-meATP and glutamate. iPSC-SNs are relatively resistant to the cytotoxic effects of paclitaxel, with IC50 values of 38.1 μM (95% CI: 22.9 – 70.9 μM) for 48 hr exposure and 9.3 μM (95% CI: 5.7 – 16.5 μM) for 72 hr treatment. Paclitaxel causes dose- and time-dependent changes in neurite network complexity detected by βIII-tubulin staining and high content imaging. The IC50 for paclitaxel reduction of neurite area was 1.4 μM (95% CI: 0.3 - 16.9 μM) for 48 hr exposure and 0.6 μM (95% CI: 0.09 - 9.9 μM) for 72 hr exposure. Decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, slower movement of mitochondria down the neurites and changes in glutamate-induced neuronal excitability were also observed with paclitaxel exposure. The iPSC-SNs were also sensitive to docetaxel, vincristine and bortezomib. Collectively, these data support the use of iPSC-SNs for detailed mechanistic investigations of genes and pathways implicated in chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity and the identification of novel therapeutic approaches for its prevention and treatment.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Funding information: This work was supported by NIH grant R01 CA192156 and Give Breast Cancer the Boot through the Helen Diller Family Cooperative Cancer Center. K.C.C. was supported in part by NIH grant T32 GM007175. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. A.C.F. was supported by a grant from São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP, 2018/00070-2). T.B.S was funded by a grant from Independent Research Fund Denmark (5053-00042B).