Changes in Neurotrophic Factors of Adult Rat Laryngeal Muscles During Nerve Regeneration

Authors

Ignacio Hernandez-Morato, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Basic Sciences Building, 15 Dana Road, Valhalla, NY 10595, United States. Electronic address: I_HernandezMorato@nymc.edu.
Sansar Sharma, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Basic Sciences Building, 15 Dana Road, Valhalla, NY 10595, United States.
Michael J. Pitman, Department of Otolaryngology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, 310E, 14th Street, 6th Floor, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, New York, NY 10003, United States.

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.07.004

Journal Title

Neuroscience

First Page

44

Last Page

53

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2016

Abstract

Injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) leads to the loss of ipsilateral laryngeal fold movement, with dysphonia, and occasionally dysphagia. Functional movement of the vocal folds is never restored due to misrouting of regenerating axons to agonist and antagonist laryngeal muscles. Changes of neurotrophic factor expression within denervated muscles occur after nerve injury and may influence nerve regeneration, axon guidance and muscle reinnervation. This study investigates the expression of certain neurotrophic factors in the laryngeal muscles during the course of axonal regeneration using RT-PCR. The timing of neurotrophic factor expression was correlated to the reinnervation of the laryngeal muscles by motor axons. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Netrin-1 (NTN-1) increased their expression levels in laryngeal muscles after nerve section and during regeneration of RLN. The upregulation of trophic factors returned to control levels following regeneration of RLN. The expression levels of the neurotrophic factors were correlated with the innervation of regenerating axons into the denervated muscles. The results suggest that certain neurotrophic factor expression is strongly correlated to the reinnervation pattern of the regenerating RLN. These factors may be involved in guidance and neuromuscular junction formation during nerve regeneration. In the future, their manipulation may enhance the selective reinnervation of the larynx.

Recommended Citation

Hernandez-Morato, I., Sharma, S., & Pitman, M. J. (2016). Changes in Neurotrophic Factors of Adult Rat Laryngeal Muscles During Nerve Regeneration. Neuroscience, 333, 44-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.07.004