Experimental Study of Shenfu Injection on the Prevention and Treatment of Paclitaxel Chemotherapy DRG Neuron Injury

Abstract EN

Purpose.

The purpose of this paper is investigating the effect and mechanism of Shenfu injection (a Traditional Chinese Medicine injection form) on prevention and treatment of paclitaxel chemotherapy in peripheral nerve injury.

Methods.

Wistar rat dorsal root ganglion cells were cultured in vitro and divided into groups of MOCK, PT, PT + LD, and PT + HD.

Each group was cultured at a total serum concentration of 10%, including 10% blank serum in the MOCK group, 0.73 (IC30) μmol/L paclitaxel + 10% blank serum in the PT group, and 10% and 5% drug-containing serum and equal amount of paclitaxel were added into the high- and low-dosage groups, respectively.

After culturing for 24 hours, the following tests were performed: (1) cell proliferation detected by using CCK-8 and a microplate reader; (2) axon length detected by cellular immunostaining and detection analysis on antibody β-tubulin III; and (3) changes in mitochondrial membrane potential by analyzing immunofluorescence staining with JC-1 probe.

Results.

(1) Cell proliferation: OD values of the MOCK group and PT group were 0.43 ± 0.02 and 0.25 ± 0.03, respectively (P<0.05), while OD values of groups PT + LD and PT + HD were 0.41 ± 0.05 and 0.46 ± 0.03, respectively, higher than group PT (P<0.05).

(2) Axon length: (171.19 ± 9.2) μm and (59.2 ± 6.1) μm (P<0.05) in the MOCK group and PT group, respectively; and (124.2 ± 18.3) um and (154.5 ± 22.9) um in the PT + LD and PT + HD groups, respectively, higher than the PT group (P<0.05).

(3) Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential: the MOCK group showed red fluorescence.

Compared with the MOCK group, the green fluorescence of the PT group was enhanced and the red fluorescence was weakened.

The red fluorescence of the PT + LD and PT + HD groups was partially enhanced compared with the PT group.

Conclusion.

Shenfu injection can prevent the toxicity of DRG neurons induced by paclitaxel, and its mechanism may be related to the alleviation of mitochondrial dysfunction.