Pain in platin-induced neuropathies: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Platin-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) is a common cause of PN in cancer patients. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the current literature regarding PIPN, with a particular focus on epidemiological and clinical characteristics of painful PIPN, and to discuss relevant management strategies. METHODS: A systematic computer-based literature search was conducted on the PubMed database. RESULTS: This search strategy resulted in the identification of 353 articles. After the eligibility assessment, 282 articles were excluded. An additional 24 papers were identified by scanning the reference lists. In total, 95 papers met the inclusion criteria and were used for this review. The prevalence of neuropathic symptoms due to acute toxicity of oxaliplatin was estimated at 84.6%, whereas PN established after chemotherapy with platins was estimated at 74.9%. Specifically regarding pain, the reported prevalence of pain due to acute toxicity of oxaliplatin was estimated at 55.6%, whereas the reported prevalence of chronic peripheral neuropathic pain in PIPN was estimated at 49.2%. CONCLUSION: Peripheral neuropathy is a common complication in patients receiving platins and can be particularly painful. There is significant heterogeneity among studies regarding the method for diagnosing peripheral neuropathy. Nerve conduction studies are the gold standard and should be performed in patients receiving platins and complaining of neuropathic symptoms post-treatment

The Evolution of Host Specialization in the Vertebrate Gut Symbiont Lactobacillus reuteri

Recent research has provided mechanistic insight into the important contributions of the gut microbiota to vertebrate biology, but questions remain about the evolutionary processes that have shaped this symbiosis. In the present study, we showed in experiments with gnotobiotic mice that the evolution of Lactobacillus reuteri with rodents resulted in the emergence of host specialization. To identify genomic events marking adaptations to the murine host, we compared the genome of the rodent isolate L. reuteri 100-23 with that of the human isolate L. reuteri F275, and we identified hundreds of genes that were specific to each strain. In order to differentiate true host-specific genome content from strain-level differences, comparative genome hybridizations were performed to query 57 L. reuteri strains originating from six different vertebrate hosts in combination with genome sequence comparisons of nine strains encompassing five phylogenetic lineages of the species. This approach revealed that rodent strains, although showing a high degree of genomic plasticity, possessed a specific genome inventory that was rare or absent in strains from other vertebrate hosts. The distinct genome content of L. reuteri lineages reflected the niche characteristics in the gastrointestinal tracts of their respective hosts, and inactivation of seven out of eight representative rodent-specific genes in L. reuteri 100-23 resulted in impaired ecological performance in the gut of mice. The comparative genomic analyses suggested fundamentally different trends of genome evolution in rodent and human L. reuteri populations, with the former possessing a large and adaptable pan-genome while the latter being subjected to a process of reductive evolution. In conclusion, this study provided experimental evidence and a molecular basis for the evolution of host specificity in a vertebrate gut symbiont, and it identified genomic events that have shaped this process

Influence of Vesicle Size and Aqueous Solvent on Intact Phospholipid Vesicle Adsorption on Oxidized Gold Monitored Using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Through attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), we have studied the adsorption characteristics of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) of a gel-phase phospholipid, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), on an oxidized gold substrate. By monitoring the frequencies and intensities of vibrational absorption modes due to phosphate and methylene functional groups in the head and tail regions of the phospholipid, we differentiated the adsorption state of the precursor vesicles (i.e., intact vs ruptured vesicles) as a function of vesicular size in the SUV limit and the properties of the aqueous-phase solvent. We found that on oxidized gold, vesicles of DPPC in ultra pure water remained intact for all sizes tested (viz., 65, 80, and 160 nm) with varying degree of deformation. In contrast, when phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was used as a bathing medium, all vesicles remained intact, were more distorted than the same size in pure water, and appeared to be nearly fully collapsed. Taken together, these results provide a rough guide for controlling vesicular behavior at the oxidized gold surface