Gut Microbiota is critical for the induction of chemotherapy-induced pain

Chemotherapy-induced pain is a dose-limiting condition that affects 30% of patients undergoing chemotherapy. We found that the gut microbiota promotes the development of chemotherapy-induced mechanical hyperalgesia. Oxaliplatin-induced mechnical hyperalgesia was reduced in germ-free mice and in those mice pretreated with antibiotics. Restoration of the microbiota of germ-free mice abrogated this protection. These effects appear to be mediated, in part, by TLR4 expressed on hematopoietic cells, including macrophages.