G. Corsetti et al., Cytoplasmic changes in satellite cells of spinal ganglia induced by cisplatin treatment in rats, ULTRA PATH, 24(4), 2000, pp. 259-265
The effects of cisplatin (cis-DDP) therapeutic treatment on the cytoplasmic
compartment of satellite cells (SC) of rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were
evaluated. Female Wistar rats were treated once a week with i.p. injection
of cis-DDP (2 mg/kg) for 9 weeks. Morpho-quantitative changes of the cytopl
asmatic organelles in SC cytoplasm from L4-L6 DRG were determined at the el
ectron microscopic level. The quantitative changes in the lysosomal system
components called dense bodies (DB) and in the mithocondria were stereologi
cally evaluated. The data from SC were compared to those from the neurons.
The cis-DDP treatment induced a great increase in DB and mithocondria volum
e of SC. Furthermore, the SC sheath showed an increase of the cytoplasmic l
amellar expansions responsible of the physical dissociation of SC sheath fr
om the nerve cell body surface. The comparative analysis from SC and neuron
s showed that the drug affected primarily the SC, supporting the idea that
SC could be the initial target of cis-DDP molecule. The alterations of the
anatomical relationships between SC and neurons could modify the cell contr
ol on extracellular solutions, altering the functional role barrier attribu
ted to SC. It appears that not only the DRG neurons but also and principall
y the SC were involved in the peripheral neuropathy mechanisms caused typic
ally from therapeutic cis-DDP administration.