Evaluation of Early Nerve Regeneration Using a Polymeric Membrane Functionalized With Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) After a Crush Lesion of the Rat Mental Nerve

Savignat, Mathilde; Vodouhe, Constant; Ackermann, Alain; Haikel, Youssef; Lavalle, Philippe; Libersa, Philippe

doi:10.1016/j.joms.2007.06.654

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Volume 66, Issue 4 , Pages 711-717, April 2008

Evaluation of Early Nerve Regeneration Using a Polymeric Membrane Functionalized With Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) After a Crush Lesion of the Rat Mental Nerve

Mathilde Savignat, DMD
- Lecturer, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, place de Verdun, Université de Lille II, Lille, France; and Unité de Neurosciences et Physiologie Adaptatives, Laboratoire de Plasticité Neuromusculaire, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Cedex, France.
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Savignat: Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, place de Verdun, 59000 Lille
Constant Vodouhe, PhD
- Doctor, INSERM Unité 595, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg-Cedex, France.
Alain Ackermann
- Technician, INSERM Unité 595, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg-Cedex, France.
Youssef Haikel, DMD, PhD
- Professor, INSERM Unité 595, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg-Cedex, France.
Philippe Lavalle, PhD
- Doctor, INSERM Unité 595, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg-Cedex, France.
Philippe Libersa, DMD, PhD
- Professor, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université de Lille II, Lille, France; and Unité de Neurosciences et Physiologie Adaptatives, Laboratoire de Plasticité Neuromusculaire, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Cedex, France; and Physiopathologie et thérapeutique des tissus calcifiés, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université de Lille II, Lille, France.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate mental nerve regeneration in rats after a crush lesion by using a polymeric membrane functionalized with nerve growth factor (NGF).

Materials and Methods

To evaluate the regeneration 1 month after the lesion, electrophysiological recordings of afferent neurograms were associated with a histologic analysis of neurons soma in the trigeminal ganglion using a retrograde fluorescent tracer. Three animal groups were used: uninjured rats (TEM), injured control rats without membrane (CONT), and injured rats with membrane containing NGF.

Results

One month after the crush injury, an early regeneration was observed independently of exogenous NGF. However, in comparison with the level recorded before the lesion, the afferent activity was decreased by 28.5% in the CONT group, whereas it was increased by 30.8% in the NGF group. In comparison with the TEM group, a decrease in the mean number of labeled neurons was observed in the CONT group, whereas no significant difference was found after 1 month of NGF treatment.