RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Characterization of and Protection from Neurotoxicity Induced by Oxaliplatin, Bortezomib and Epothilone-B JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 517 OP 523 VO 34 IS 1 A1 CECILIA CERESA A1 ABOLFAZL AVAN A1 ELISA GIOVANNETTI A1 ALBERT A. GELDOF A1 AMIR AVAN A1 GUIDO CAVALETTI A1 GODEFRIDUS J. PETERS YR 2014 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/34/1/517.abstract AB Aim: To characterize neurotoxicity induced by oxaliplatin, bortezomib, and epothilone-B as well as protection against their neurotoxicity using an in vitro model. Materials and Methods: Neurotoxicity was evaluated using the neurite outgrowth method in PC12 rat pheochromo-cytoma cells differentiated towards a mature neuronal phenotype, while neuroprotection was explored by simultaneous exposure to 0.5 mM amifostine. The potential markers of neuronal differentiation, cyclin-B2 (Ccnb2) and baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing 5 (Birc5), were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Bortezomib, epothilone-B, and oxaliplatin reduced neurite length to 68%, 78% and 66%, respectively (p<0.05). The percentage of neurite-forming-cells (discriminating neurotoxicity from general cytotoxicity) decreased from 70% (control) to 55% (bortezomib), 46% (epothilone-B), and 51% (oxaliplatin). Amifostine was neuroprotective against oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity, increasing both neurite length and neurite-forming-cells. Quantitative-RT-PCR showed a 2.7-fold decrease in Ccnb2 expression in differentiated PC12 vs. undifferentiated cells. Conclusion: Oxaliplatin, bortezomib, and epothilone-B are neurotoxic in the PC12 model. Amifostine has a neuroprotective effect only against oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity, suggesting that these compounds have different mechanisms of neurotoxicity.