Abstract
Vincristine is a vinca alkaloid widely utilized in cancer chemotherapy. Its major clinical limitation is due to a drug induced sensory-motor neuropathy, the pathogenesis of which is poorly understood. This communication describes the morphological basis of a Vincristine neuropathy in cats. Major pathological lesions were focal axonal swellings (giant axon formations) due to malaligned accumulations of neurofilaments and secondary demyelination of the paranodal type. These were primarily confined to the proximal portions of the peripheral nerves. The distal portions of the peripheral nerves contained only a few giant axon formations. Wallerian degeneration was noted to involve a small number of nerve fibers in the distal regions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bradley WG (1970) The neuromyopathy of vincristine in the guinea pig. An electrophysiological and pathological study. J Neurol Sci 10: 133–162
Bradley WG, Lassman LP, Pearce GW, Walton JN (1970) The neuromyopathy of vincristine in man. Clinical electrophysiological and pathological studies. J Neurol Sci 10: 107–131
Burdman JA (1966) A note on the selective toxicity of vincristine sulphate on chick-embryo sensory ganglia in tissue culture. J Natl Cancer Inst 37: 331–332
Casey EB, Jellife AM, LeQuesne PM, Millett YL (1973) Vincristine neuropathy. Clinical and electrophysiological observations. Brain 96: 69–86
Clark A, Griffin JW, Price DL (1980) The axonal pathology in chronic B.B′-iminodipropionitrile intoxication. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 39: 42–55
D'Agostino AN, Jarcho LW (1964) A new neuropathy associated with vincristine (Neurocristine). Clin Res 12: 106
Friede RL, Martinez AJ (1970) Analysis of the process of sheath expansion in swollen nerve fibers. Brain Res 19: 165–182
Friede RL, Samorajski TL (1970) Axon caliber related to neurofilaments and microtubules in sciatic nerve fibers of rats and mice. Anat Rec 167: 379–388
Goldstein BD, Lowndes HE, Cho E-S (1981) Neurotoxicology of vincristine in the cat. Electrophysiological studies. Arch Toxicol 48: 253–264
Gottschalk PG, Dyck PJ, Kiely JM (1967) Vinca alkaloid neuropathy. Nerve biopsy studies in rats and in man. Neurology (Minneap) 18: 875–882
Johnson IS, Armstrong JG, Gorman M, Burnett PJ Jr (1963) The vinca alkaloids: a new class of oncolytic agents. Cancer Res 23: 1390–1427
McLeod JG, Penny R (1969) Vincristine neuropathy: an electrophysiological and histological study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 32: 297–304
Rosenthal S, Kaufman S (1974) Vincristine neurotoxicity. Ann Intern Med 80: 733–757
Sandler SG, Tobin W, Henderson ES (1969) Vincristine induced neuropathy. Neurology (Minneap) 19: 367–374
Schlaepfer WW (1971) Vincristine-induced axonal alterations in rat peripheral nerve. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 30: 488–505
Schochet SS, Lampert PW, Earle KM (1968) Neuronal changes induced by intrathecal vincristine sulfate. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 27: 645–658
Seil FJ, Lampert PW (1978) Neurofibrillary tangles induced by vincristine and vinblastine sulphate in central and peripheral neurons in vitro. Exp Neurol 21: 219–230
Shelanski ML, Wisniewski H (1969) Neurofibrillary degeneration induced by vincristine therapy. Arch Neurol 20: 199–206
Slyter H, Liwnicz B, Herrick MK, Mason R (1980) Fatal myeloencephalopathy caused by intrathecal vincristine. Neurology (Minneap) 30: 867–871
Uy PL, Moen TH, Johns RJ, Owens AH (1967) Vincristine neurotoxicity in rodents. Johns Hopkins Med J 121: 349–360
Wisniewski H, Shelanski ML, Terry RD (1968) Effects of mitotic spindle inhibitors on neurotubules and neurofilaments in anterior horn cells. J Cell Biol 38: 224–229
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cho, ES., Lowndes, H.E. & Goldstein, B.D. Neurotoxicology of vincristine in the cat. Arch Toxicol 52, 83–90 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354768
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354768