title: Neurotrophin expression and laryngeal muscle pathophysiology following recurrent laryngeal nerve transection.
abstract: Laryngeal palsy often occurs as a result of recurrent laryngeal or vagal nerve injury during oncological surgery of the head and neck, affecting quality of life and increasing economic burden. Reinnervation following recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is difficult despite development of techniques, such as neural anastomosis, nerve grafting and creation of a laryngeal muscle pedicle. In the present study, due to the limited availability of human nerve tissue for research, a rat model was used to investigate neurotrophin expression and laryngeal muscle pathophysiology in RLN injury. Twenty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent right RLN transection with the excision of a 5-mm segment. Vocal fold movements, vocalization, histology and immunostaining were evaluated at different time-points (3, 6, 10 and 16 weeks). Although vocalization was restored, movement of the vocal fold failed to return to normal levels following RLN injury. The expression of brain‑derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor differed in the thyroarytenoid (TA) and posterior cricoarytenoid muscles. The number of axons did not increase to baseline levels over time. Furthermore, normal muscle function was unlikely with spontaneous reinnervation. During regeneration following RLN injury, differences in the expression levels of neurotrophic factors may have resulted in preferential reinnervation of the TA muscles. Data from the present study indicated that neurotrophic factors may be applied for restoring the function of the laryngeal nerve following recurrent injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Baoxin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Fengxian District Central Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital South Campus, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Junjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: School of Economics and Finance, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai 200083, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jiafeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Pin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D061224:Laryngeal Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D061226:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D061223:Vagus Nerve Injuries / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C495039:GDNF protein, human; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors