A fruit fly model for studying paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy and hyperalgesia

Background : Paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common and limiting side effect of an approved and effective chemotherapeutic agent. The cause of this nociception is still unknown. Methods : To uncover the mechanism involved in paclitaxel-induced pain, we developed a Drosophila thermal nociceptive model to show the effects of paclitaxel exposure on third instar larvae. Results : We found that paclitaxel increases heat nociception in a dose-dependent manner, and at the highest doses also obstructs dendritic repulsion cues. Conclusions : Our simple system can be applied to identify regulators of chemotherapy-induced pain and may help to eliminate pain-related side-effects of chemotherapy.