title: The role of bone morphogenetic protein-2 in vivo in regeneration of peripheral nerves.
abstract: We investigated the effects of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and some other BMPs on regeneration of peripheral motor nerves in vivo. The facial nerves of 24 New Zealand rabbits were crushed to examine a series of retrograde changes in the facial nuclei and axons, in what has been called the "axon reaction". The facial nerves of the experimental group were treated with epineurial coaptation and BMP-2 after the injury. Nerves not treated with BMP-2 were regarded as controls. The expression of BMP-2 was investigated by in situ hybridisation in the neurons of facial nuclei. The electrophysiology, image analysis and transmission electron microscopy were used to evaluate the level of the recovery of facial nerves. The results showed that the axons in the experimental group were thicker and denser than those in the control group four weeks later. The expression of BMP-2 in the neurons of facial nuclei increased after injury. The electron microscopic observations showed that the axons' degeneration in the experimental group was less than that in the control group. Despite the morphological difference between the two groups, there was no apparent difference between them in nerve conduction velocity. These findings suggest that BMP-2 might be involved in the regeneration of facial nerves, and might function as a potential neurotrophic factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Hua Xi Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Cheng Du 610041, P.R. China. wangyanliang@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yan-Liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Da-Zhang
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: De-Lin
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Yan-Pu
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yong-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fumihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suwa
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tamada
authors.forename: Yi Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004576:Electromyography; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C499469:recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2