Low-intensity low-frequency pulsed ultrasound ameliorates sciatic nerve dysfunction in a rat model of cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 8125
• Main Authors: Bilir-Yildiz, Busra, Sunay, Fatma Bahar, Yilmaz, Hatice Fulya, Bozkurt-Girit, Ozlem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 17-05-2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/57; 692/617; 692/617/375; Apoptosis; Axons; Bcl-2 protein; Caspase-3; Chemotherapy; Cisplatin; Degeneration; Humanities and Social Sciences; IL-1β; Melatonin; multidisciplinary; Myelin; Nerve conduction; Neurological complications; Oxidative stress; Pain perception; Peripheral neuropathy; Sciatic nerve; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Superoxide dismutase; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11978-z

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a neurological complication that frequently occurs during chemotherapeutic intervention, resulting in damaged myelin sheath, motor weakness and/or sensory impairment. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic efficiency of low-intensity pulsed low-frequency ultrasound on cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy. Rats were randomly divided into five experimental groups as control, cisplatin administration, 10 mg/kg melatonin treatment after cisplatin administration, 1 MHz frequency 0.5 W/cm
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pulsed ultrasound treatment after cisplatin administration and 1 MHz frequency 1.5 W/cm
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pulsed ultrasound treatment after cisplatin administration. Chemical neuropathy was induced by the injection of 3 mg/kg/week of cisplatin (i.p.) for 5 weeks. Afterwards, melatonin and pulsed ultrasound treatments were applied for 15 consecutive days. Cisplatin administration resulted in a decrease in nociceptive pain perception and nerve conduction velocities together with a decrease in myelin thickness and diameters of axons and myelinated fibers, indicating a dysfunction and degeneration in sciatic nerves. In addition, cisplatin administration led to a decrease, in superoxide dismutase activity, and an increase in malondialdehyde and IL-1β levels together with an increase in caspase-3 protein expression levels and a decrease in Bcl-2 and Parkin levels. The ultrasound treatments resulted in an increase in nociceptive pain perception and sciatic nerve conduction; led to a decrease in oxidative stress and inflammation, restored nerve degeneration and regulated apoptosis and mitophagy. Taken together, low-intensity pulsed low-frequency ultrasound was efficient in restoring the alterations attributable to cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy, and warrants further investigations.