Research ArticleOriginal Article
Open Access

Platelet-rich plasma can release nutrient factors to promote facial nerve crush injury recovery in rats

Liheng Li, Jing Cai, Yang Yuan, Yanyan Mao, Lei Xu, Yuechen Han, Jianfeng Li and Haibo Wang
Saudi Medical Journal December 2019, 40 (12) 1209-1217; DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2019.12.24747

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Figures

  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    Surgical position and time course of nictitating reflex and vibrissae movement recovery. A) The facial nerve was exposed, and the trunk was crushed using vessel forceps. B) A photo showing facial palsy on the left side. The left nose is shifted to the right and the left eye is unable to close. The time course of C) vibrissae movement and D) blink reflex recovery. The rats in 2 of the groups exhibited the onset of transient facial paralysis 4 weeks after operation. The facial function of the rats in the second and third groups returned to normal. However, the facial function of the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) group was significantly better than that of the injury group. *p<0.05 versus injury group.

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Electrophysiological evaluation of compound muscle action potentials. A) Each electrode line was inserted at a different position. B) Diagram of the amplitude and latency of a CMAP. C) Three groups of animals were subjected to electromyography 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery. Representative data are shown for each group of 3 rats. The incubation period on the chart is the time from nerve stimulation to muscle depolarization. CMAPs were observed in the 3 groups after surgery. Electrophysiological assessment of the facial nerves of the rats in all groups, as measured by the D) amplitude and E) latency of CMAPs at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after operation. **p<0.01. PRP - platelet-rich plasma.

  • Figure 3
    Figure 3

    Regenerated facial nerves stained with Haemotoxylin and Eosin (H & E) and toluidine blue and examined by electron microscopy at one month following surgery. Most blood vessels were partially degraded into the surrounding tissue without serious side effects. PRP - platelet-rich plasma

  • Figure 4
    Figure 4

    Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for neurotrophic factors (BDNF and NT4). A) BDNF expression in the facial nerve nucleus of 7, 14, and 21 days post-injury groups. B) NT4 expression in facial nerve nucleus of 7, 14, and 21 days post-injury groups. C) BDNF expression in the facial fragment. D) NT4 expression in the facial fragment. The results showed time-dependent changes in BDNF and NT-4 expression in the three groups after facial nerve injury. The y-axis is the relative mRNA expression level of BDNF and NT-4 Messenger RNA (mRNA). BDNF - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, NT4 - neurotrophin 4

  • Figure 5
    Figure 5

    Immunohistochemical analysis of S-100 expression. Immunohistochemical staining showed that S-100 expression was observed in the cytoplasm of injured facial nerves. The expression of S-100 was low in the facial nerves of the control group. S-100 was highly expressed in injured facial nerves and Schwann cells. However, S-100 expression levels was decreased after 3 weeks with lower levels of S-100 observed in the injury+PRP group compared with the injury group.

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