{
  "id": 7840015,
  "title": "Antibiotics modulate activity of mouse and human dorsal root ganglia neurons",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/antibiotics-modulate-activity-of-mouse-and-human-dorsal-root-ganglia",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-16T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.10.750724v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Antibiotics, despite being widely prescribed drugs, have not been extensively studied for their direct impact on eukaryotic tissues. In this research, calcium imaging was employed to investigate if standard antibiotic concentrations influence the activity of mouse and human dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The findings revealed that beta-lactams, macrolides, and tetracyclines trigger calcium flux within DRG sensory neurons within minutes of application.\n\nInterestingly, the response of these neurons to antibiotics is contingent on the influx of extracellular calcium. Additionally, pharmacological interventions uncovered that cephalexin-induced responses rely on TRPA1 activity, while doxycycline-induced responses depend on mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. These observations suggest that clinically relevant antibiotic concentrations can directly modulate sensory neuron activity via various mechanisms, thereby broadening our understanding of potential side effects associated with antibiotic use.",
  "summary": "Antibiotics are among the most prescribed medications worldwide, yet their direct effects on eukaryotic tissues remain largely unexplored. Here, we used in vitro calcium imaging to determine if clinically relevant concentrations of common antibiotics alter mouse and human dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuron activity. We found that {beta}-lactams, macrolides, and tetracyclines induce calcium flux in…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}