Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33613.
Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33613.
eNeuro. 2024 Sep 20;11(9). doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0206-24.2024. Print 2024 Sep.
Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairments (CRCIs) encompass cognitive deficits in memory, attention, and executive function that arise during and following chemotherapy. CRCI symptoms are predominantly reported by female cancer patients but also occur in males. These impairments may involve reduced estradiol levels, which then increases vulnerability to the impact of tumors and chemotherapy on cognition. This study utilized the MMTV-PyVT mouse model of breast cancer to test the hypothesis that impaired ovarian function and associated estradiol levels play a critical role in CRCI susceptibility. Mice were either ovariectomized (OVX) or underwent sham surgery. The OVX group then received supplemental estradiol (E) in the drinking water to maintain physiological hormone levels. After tumor development, mice were trained in the Morris water maze to assess spatial memory, and subsequently, they received weekly injections of either saline or a combination of cyclophosphamide (CYP; 66.7 mg/kg, i.v.) and doxorubicin (DOX; 6.7 mg/kg, i.v.) for 4 weeks. Spatial memory was reassessed 10 d and then 35 d, after the final injections. Results demonstrated a significant disruption of normal ovarian cycling in sham-operated mice treated with CYP + DOX, as well as significant spatial memory impairments when compared with OVX mice supplemented with E This study suggests that chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage and the consequent drop in circulating estrogens significantly contribute to vulnerability to CRCIs, underscoring the importance of estradiol in mitigating CRCI risks.
化疗相关认知障碍(CRCIs)包括在化疗期间和之后出现的记忆、注意力和执行功能方面的认知缺陷。CRCI 症状主要由女性癌症患者报告,但男性也会出现这些症状。这些损伤可能涉及雌二醇水平降低,从而增加了对肿瘤和化疗对认知影响的脆弱性。本研究利用 MMTV-PyVT 乳腺癌小鼠模型来检验卵巢功能受损和相关雌二醇水平在 CRCIs 易感性中起关键作用的假设。小鼠要么接受卵巢切除术(OVX),要么接受假手术。OVX 组随后通过饮用水补充雌二醇(E)以维持生理激素水平。肿瘤发展后,小鼠在 Morris 水迷宫中接受训练以评估空间记忆,随后每周接受生理盐水或环磷酰胺(CYP;66.7mg/kg,静脉注射)和多柔比星(DOX;6.7mg/kg,静脉注射)的组合注射 4 周。最后一次注射后 10 天和 35 天再次评估空间记忆。结果表明,CYP + DOX 处理的假手术小鼠的正常卵巢周期明显受到干扰,与补充 E 的 OVX 小鼠相比,空间记忆也明显受损。这项研究表明,化疗引起的卵巢损伤和随之而来的循环雌激素水平下降显著导致 CRCIs 的易感性增加,突出了雌二醇在减轻 CRCI 风险中的重要性。