Combined intervention of Akkermansia muciniphila and sodium butyrate ameliorates oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy by suppressing neuroinflammation and reducing serum neurofilament light chain

Our findings confirm that oxaliplatin triggers complex pathological alterations, including pain hypersensitivity, neuroinflammation, and axonal injury. The combinatorial treatment with <i>A. muciniphila</i> and sodium butyrate exerted potent neuroprotective effects, significantly relieving mechanical and cold allodynia while suppressing systemic inflammation. Intriguingly, these therapeutic benefits were closely mirrored by a marked reduction in serum NfL levels. Collectively, our data not only validate the efficacy of this gut-microbiota-targeted strategy but also establish serum NfL as a sensitive, objective metric for monitoring OIPN severity and therapeutic response.