Skip to main content

Efficacy of ganglioside treatment in reducing functional alterations induced by vincristine in rabbit peripheral nerves

Summary

Vincristine (VCR) administration to rabbits resulted in severe electrophysiologic alterations of peripheral nerves. Sciatic nerve conduction velocity, compound action potential (CAP) amplitude, and area under the CAP waveform were all reduced in a dose-dependent fashion. In addition, the pattern of conduction velocity of both motor and sensory fibers was altered and shifted toward slow conduction classes. Simultaneous treatment with gangliosides limited significantly the changes in electrophysiologic parameters induced by VCR. It is suggested that gangliosides be given in the clinical setting as protection for the peripheral nerves against the side effects of antiblastic therapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

References

  1. Bianchi R, Marini P, Merlini S, Fabris M, Triban C, Mussini E, Fiori MG (1988) ATPase activity defects in alloxan-induced diabetic sciatic nerve recovered by ganglioside treatment. Diabetes 37: 1340

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Blair EA, Erlanger J (1933) A comparison of the characteristics of axons through their individual electric responses. Am J Physiol 106: 524

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bradley WG, Lassman LP, Pearce GW, Walton JN (1970) The neuromyopathy of vincristine in man. Clinical, electrophysiological and pathological studies. J Neurol Sci 10: 107

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Casey EB, Jellife AM, Le Quesne PM, Millett YL (1973) Vincristine neuropathy. Clinical and electrophysiological observations. Brain 96: 69

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Chan K-FJ (1987) Ganglioside-modulated protein phosphorylation. Partial purification and characterization of a ganglioside-stimulated protein kinase in brain. J Biol Chem 262: 5248

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cho E-S, Lowndes HE, Goldstein BD (1983) Neurotoxicology of vincristine in the cat. Morphological study. Arch Toxicol 52: 83

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Doherty P, Dickson JG, Flanigan TP, Walsh FS (1985) Ganglioside GM1 does not initiate, but enhances neurite regeneration of nerve growth factor-dependent sensory neurones. J Neurochem 44: 1259

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Facci L, Leon A, Toffano G, Sonnino S, Ghidoni R, Tettamanti G (1984) Promotion of neuritogenesis in mouse neuroblastoma cells by exogenous gangliosides. Relationship between the effect and the cell association of ganglioside GM1. J Neurochem 42: 299

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Favaro G, Di Gregorio F, Panozzo C, Fiori MG (1988) Ganglioside treatment of vincristine-induced neuropathy. An electrophysiologic study. Toxicology 49: 325

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ferrari G, Fabris M, Gorio A (1983) Gangliosides enhance neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. Dev Brain Res 8: 215

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Figliomeni B, Bacci B, Panozzo C, Fiori MG (1988) Ganglioside treatment enhances the transport rate of axonal neurofilaments in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Abstract of the paper presented at the European Symposium on the Structure and Functions of the Cytoskeleton, April 13 – 16, 1988, Lyon, France (Abstract 94, p 151)

  12. Gasser HS, Grundfest H (1939) Axon diameters in relation to the spike dimension and the conduction velocity in mammalian A-fibers. Am J Physiol 127: 393

    Google Scholar 

  13. Goldenring JR, Otis LC, Yu RK, De Lorenzo RJ (1985) Calcium/ganglioside-dependent protein kinase activity in rat brain membrane. J Neurochem 44: 1229

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gorio A, Carmignoto G, Facci L, Finesso M (1980) Motor nerve sprouting induced by ganglioside treatment. Possible implications for gangliosides on neuronal growth. Brain Res 197: 236

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Gorio A, Marini P, Zanoni R (1983) Muscle reinnervation: III. Motoneuron sprouting capacity: enhancement by exogenous gangliosides. Neuroscience 8: 417

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Gottschalk PG, Dyck PJ, Kiely JM (1968) Vinca alkaloid neuropathy. Nerve biopsy studies in rats and in man. Neurology (Minneap) 18: 875

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Green LS, Donoso JA, Heller-Bettinger IE, Samson FE (1977) Axonal transport disturbances in vincrstine-induced peripheral neuropathy. Ann Neurol 1: 255

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Guiheneuc P, Ginet J, Eroleau JY, Rojouan H (1980) Early phase of vincristine neuropathy in man. J Neurol Sci 45: 355

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Haber B, Gorio A (eds) (1984) Neurobiology of gangliosides. J Neurosci Res [Special issue] 12 (2/3):

  20. Hellmann K, Hutchinson GE, Henry K (1987) Reduction of vincristine toxicity by Cronassial. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 20: 21

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Hoffman PN, Griffin JW, Price DL (1984) Control of axonal caliber by neurofilament transport. J Cell Biol 99: 705

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Leon A, Facci L, Toffano G, Sonnino S, Tettamanti G (1981) Activation of (Na+, K+)ATPase by nanomolar concentrations of GM1 ganglioside. J Neurochem 37: 350

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Leon A, Tettamanti G, Toffano G (1981) Changes in functional properties of neuron membranes by insertion of exogenous ganglioside. In: Rapport MM, Gorio A (eds) Gangliosides in neurological and neuromuscular function, development, and repair. Raven, New York, pp 45–54

    Google Scholar 

  24. Leon A, Dal Toso R, Presti D, Benvegnù D, Facci L, Kirschner G, Tettamanti G, Toffano G (1988) Development and survival of neurons in dissociated fetal mesencephalic serum-free cell cultures: II. Modulatory effects of gangliosides. J Neurosci 3: 746

    Google Scholar 

  25. Marini P, Vitadello M, Bianchi R, Triban C, Gorio A (1986) Impaired axonal transport of acetylcholinesterase in the sciatic nerve of alloxan-diabetic rats: effect of ganglioside treatment. Diabetologia 29: 254

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. McLeod JG, Penny R (1969) Vincristine neuropathy: an electrophysiological and histological study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 32: 297

    PubMed  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Norido F, Canella R, Zanoni R, Gorio A (1984) The development of diabetic neuropathy in the C57Bl/Ks (db/db) mouse and its treatment with gangliosides. Exp Neurol 83: 221

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Norido F, Finesso M, Fiorito C, Marini P, Favaro G, Fusco M, Tessari F, Prosdocimi M (1988) General toxicity and peripheral nerve alterations induced by- chronic vincristine treatment in the rabbit. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 93: 433

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Rosenthal S, Kaufman S (1974) Vincristine neurotoxicity. Ann Intern Med 80: 733

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Sahenk Z, Brady ST, Mendell JR (1987) Studies on the pathogenesis of vincristine-induced neuropathy. Muscle Nerve 10: 80

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Sandler SG, Tobin W, Henderson ES (1969) Vincristine-induced neuropathy. Neurology (Minneap) 19: 367

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Schiavinato A, Morandin A, Gorio A (1985) Quantitative analysis of myelin and axolemma particle distribution in C57Bl/Ks diabetic mice and the effects of ganglioside treatment. J Neurol Sci 69: 301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Schiavinato A, Lini E, Guidolin D, Panozzo C, Fiori MG (1987) Vincristine-induced neuropathy. A morphometric and ultrastructural approach for assessing the efficacy of ganglioside treatment. Neuroscience 22: S813

  34. Skaper SD, Katoh-Semba R, Varon S (1985) GM1 ganglioside accelerates neurite outgrowth from primary peripheral and central neurons under selective culture conditions. Dev Brain Res 23: 19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Svennerholm L (1963) Chromatographic separation of human brain gangliosides. J Neurochem 10: 613

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Tettamanti G, Bonali F, Marchesini S, Zambotti V (1973) A new procedure for the extraction, purification and fractionation of brain gangliosides. Biochim Biophys Acta 296: 160

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Tettamanti G, Ledeen RW, Sandhoff K, Nagai Y, Toffano G (eds) (1986) Gangliosides and neuronal plasticity. Liviana, Padova

    Google Scholar 

  38. Vyskocvil F, Di Gregorio F, Gorio A (1985) The facilitating effect of gangliosides on the electrogenic (Na+/K+) pump and on the resistance of the membrane potential to hypoxia in neuromuscular preparations. Pfluegers Arch 403: 1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Waxman SG (1980) Determinants of conduction velocity in myelinated nerve fibers. Muscle Nerve 3: 141

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Di Gregorio, F., Favaro, G., Panozzo, C. et al. Efficacy of ganglioside treatment in reducing functional alterations induced by vincristine in rabbit peripheral nerves. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 26, 31 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02940290

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02940290

Keywords

  • Sciatic Nerve
  • Conduction Velocity
  • Compound Action Potential
  • Vincristine Sulfate
  • Compound Action Potential Amplitude