title: Exogenous nerve growth factor protects the hypoglossal nerve against crush injury.
abstract: Studies have shown that sensory nerve damage can activate the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, but whether the same type of nerve injury after exercise activates the p38MAPK pathway remains unclear. Several studies have demonstrated that nerve growth factor may play a role in the repair process after peripheral nerve injury, but there has been little research focusing on the hypoglossal nerve injury and repair. In this study, we designed and established rat models of hypoglossal nerve crush injury and gave intraperitoneal injections of exogenous nerve growth factor to rats for 14 days. p38MAPK activity in the damaged neurons was increased following hypoglossal nerve crush injury; exogenous nerve growth factor inhibited this increase in acitivity and increased the survival rate of motor neurons within the hypoglossal nucleus. Under transmission electron microscopy, we found that the injection of nerve growth factor contributed to the restoration of the morphology of hypoglossal nerve after crush injury. Our experimental findings indicate that exogenous nerve growth factor can protect damaged neurons and promote hypoglossal nerve regeneration following hypoglossal nerve crush injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Stomatological Hospital of Sichuan Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China; Orofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration Laboratory, Sichuan Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Yuan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Orofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration Laboratory, Sichuan Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China; Department of Endodontics, Stomatological Hospital of Sichuan Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Chao
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Stomatological Hospital of Sichuan Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China; Orofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration Laboratory, Sichuan Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Pin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Stomatological Hospital of Sichuan Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China; Orofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration Laboratory, Sichuan Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Stomatology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5113-8216
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tu
keywords: crush injury; hypoglossal nerve; mitogen-activated protein kinase; nerve growth factor; nerve injury; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; p38MAPK