No evidence for enhancement of recovery from a crush lesion of a motor nerve in rats by Org2766

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ulenkate, Herman J.L.M. | Gispen, Willem-Hendrik | Jennekens, Frans G.I.

Affiliations: Laboratory for Neuromuscular Diseases, University Hospital Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands | Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Note: [] Corresponding author. Fax: +31 30 254 2100.

Abstract: The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of Org2766 on the recovery of lesioned motor nerve fibres. The facial nerve of Wistar rats was crush lesioned and the process of recovery was assessed by functional and histological methods. Functional recovery was examined in two experiments and was assessed by quantifying blind the return of eyelid and whisker movements. No difference could be demonstrated between Org2766-treated and saline-treated groups of animals. The histological investigations involved quantifying the number of reinnervated motor endplates in the whisker muscle. On days 10 to 12 in male rats and on days 12 and 13 in female rats, there was no difference in reinnervation between the two treatment groups. It was concluded that with the methods used in this study, no significant effect of Org2766 on the axonal regeneration of motor nerve fibres could be established.

Keywords: Neuropeptide, Axonal regeneration, Reinnervation, Facial nerve, Neuromuscular junction, Functional recovery

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-1995-9203

Journal: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 85-91, 1995