Translational neuroscience
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Oxaliplatin (OXL) is a third-generation chemotherapeutic agent commonly used to treat metastatic digestive tumors; however, one of the main limiting complications of OXL is neuropathic pain. In this study, the underlying mechanisms responsible for OXL evoked-neuropathic pain were examined. Using a rat model, the results demonstrated that intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of OXL significantly increased mechanical pain and cold sensitivity as compared with control animals (P < 0.05 vs. control rats). ⋯ The data shows that TRPA1 expression was upregulated in the lumbar dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of OXL rats and blocking TRPA1 inhibited mechanical pain and heightened cold sensitivity (P < 0.05 vs. control rats). Blocking PAR2 also significantly decreased TRPA1 expression in the DRG. Findings in this study show that OXL intervention amplifies mechanical hyperalgesia and cold hypersensitivity and PAR2 plays an important role in regulating OXL-induced neuropathic pain via TRPA1 pathways.