Olfactory ensheathing cells in facial nerve regeneration / Células embainhantes olfatórias na regeneração do nervo facial

Abstract Introduction: Olfactory ensheathing cell is a unique kind of glia cells, which can promote axon growth. Little is known about the differences between olfactory mucosa olfactory ensheathing cells and olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells in the capability to promote nerve regeneration. Objective: To study the recovery of the rat facial nerve after olfactory ensheathing cells transplantation, and to compare the differences between the facial nerve regeneration of olfactory mucosa-olfactory ensheathing cells and olfactory bulb olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells transplantation. Methods: Institutional ethical guideline was followed (201510129A). Olfactory mucosa-olfactory ensheathing cells and olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells were cultured and harvested after 7 days in vitro. 36 Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into three different groups depending on the transplanting cells: Group A: olfactory mucosa-olfactory ensheathing cells; Group B: olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells; Group C: DF-12 medium/fetal bovine serum. The main trunk of the facial nerve was transected and both stumps were inserted into a polylactic acid/chitosan conduit, then the transplanted cells were injected into the collagen in the conduits. After 4 and 8 weeks after the transplant, the rats of the three groups were scarified and the facial function score, facial nerve evoked potentials, histology analysis, and fluorescent retrograde tracing were tested and recorded, respectively, to evaluate the facial nerve regeneration and to analysis the differences among the three groups. Results: Olfactory ensheathing cells can promote the facial nerve regeneration. Compared with olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells, olfactory mucosa olfactory ensheathing cells were more effective in promoting facial nerve regeneration, and this difference was more significant 8 weeks after the transplantation than 4 weeks. Conclusion: We discovered that olfactory ensheathing cells with nerve conduit could improve the facial nerve recovery, and the olfactory mucosa olfactory ensheathing cells are more effective for facial nerve regeneration compared with olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells 8 weeks after the transplantation. These results could cast new light in the therapy of facial nerve defect, and furnish the foundation of auto-transplantation of olfactory mucosa olfactory ensheathing cells in periphery nerve injury.

Resumo Introdução: A célula embainhante olfatória é um tipo especial de célula glial que pode promover o crescimento do axônio. Pouco se sabe sobre as diferenças entre as células embainhantes olfatórias da mucosa olfatória e as células embainhantes olfatórias do bulbo olfatório em relação à sua capacidade de promover a regeneração nervosa. Objetivo: Estudar a regeneração do nervo facial de ratos após o transplante de células embainhantes olfatórias e comparar as diferenças entre a regeneração do nervo facial com o transplante de células embainhantes olfatórias da mucosa olfatória e de células embainhantes olfatórias do bulbo olfatório. Método: As recomendações éticas da instituição (201510129A) foram seguidas. Células embainhantes olfatórias da mucosa olfatória e células embainhantes olfatórias do bulbo olfatório foram cultivadas in vitro e coletadas após sete dias. Trinta e seis ratos Sprague Dawley machos foram divididos aleatoriamente em três grupos, dependeu das células transplantadas: Grupo A, células embainhantes olfatórias da mucosa olfatória; Grupo B, células embainhantes olfatórias do bulbo olfatório; Grupo C, meio de DF-12/soro fetal bovino. O tronco principal do nervo facial foi seccionado e ambos os cotos foram inseridos em um conduto de ácido polilático/quitosana; em seguida, as células transplantadas foram injetadas em colágeno nos condutos. Após quatro e oito semanas do transplante, os ratos dos três grupos foram agitados para a obtenção do escore da função facial, potenciais evocados do nervo facial, análise histológica e marcador fluorescente retrógrado, que foram testados e registrados, respectivamente, para avaliar a regeneração do nervo facial e analisar as diferenças entre os três grupos. Resultados: Células embainhantes olfatórias podem promover a regeneração do nervo facial. Em comparação com as células embainhantes olfatórias do bulbo olfatório, as células embainhantes olfatórias da mucosa olfatória foram mais eficazes na promoção da regeneração do nervo facial e essa diferença foi mais significativa oito semanas após o transplante em comparação com quatro semanas. Conclusão: Verificamos que células embainhantes olfatórias com conduto nervoso podem melhorar a recuperação do nervo facial e as células embainhantes olfatórias da mucosa olfatória são mais eficazes para a regeneração do nervo facial em comparação com as células embainhantes olfatórias do bulbo olfatório oito semanas após o transplante. Esses resultados podem lançar uma nova luz no tratamento de defeitos do nervo facial e fornecer a base do autotransplante de células embainhantes olfatórias da mucosa olfatória em lesões do nervo periférico.

Olfactory ensheathing cells in facial nerve regeneration.

INTRODUCTION: Olfactory ensheathing cell is a unique kind of glia cells, which can promote axon growth. Little is known about the differences between olfactory mucosa olfactory ensheathing cells and olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells in the capability to promote nerve regeneration. OBJECTIVE: To study the recovery of the rat facial nerve after olfactory ensheathing cells transplantation, and to compare the differences between the facial nerve regeneration of olfactory mucosa-olfactory ensheathing cells and olfactory bulb olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells transplantation. METHODS: Institutional ethical guideline was followed (201510129A). Olfactory mucosa-olfactory ensheathing cells and olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells were cultured and harvested after 7 days in vitro. 36 Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into three different groups depending on the transplanting cells: Group A: olfactory mucosa-olfactory ensheathing cells; Group B: olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells; Group C: DF-12 medium/fetal bovine serum. The main trunk of the facial nerve was transected and both stumps were inserted into a polylactic acid/chitosan conduit, then the transplanted cells were injected into the collagen in the conduits. After 4 and 8 weeks after the transplant, the rats of the three groups were scarified and the facial function score, facial nerve evoked potentials, histology analysis, and fluorescent retrograde tracing were tested and recorded, respectively, to evaluate the facial nerve regeneration and to analysis the differences among the three groups. RESULTS: Olfactory ensheathing cells can promote the facial nerve regeneration. Compared with olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells, olfactory mucosa olfactory ensheathing cells were more effective in promoting facial nerve regeneration, and this difference was more significant 8 weeks after the transplantation than 4 weeks. CONCLUSION: We discovered that olfactory ensheathing cells with nerve conduit could improve the facial nerve recovery, and the olfactory mucosa olfactory ensheathing cells are more effective for facial nerve regeneration compared with olfactory bulb olfactory ensheathing cells 8 weeks after the transplantation. These results could cast new light in the therapy of facial nerve defect, and furnish the foundation of auto-transplantation of olfactory mucosa olfactory ensheathing cells in periphery nerve injury.

Development of an Instrument to Assess Work Productivity in Individuals With Voice Disorders: The Work Hoarse.

OBJECTIVES:: Vocal function is critical to employability in the modern era. Although research clearly demonstrates that a disordered voice affects quality of life, few studies have attempted to quantitate the effects of a disordered voice on work productivity. The Voice-Related Statements battery, which originally had 20 items, was previously developed to qualitatively describe how an individual's dysphonia affects his or her job performance. The aim of this study was to refine and reduce the item number and provide preliminary validation of this shortened instrument. METHODS:: The Voice-Related Statements instrument was administered to employed patients with dysphonia in conjunction with 2 additional instruments: the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire (WPAI). Response distributions and intercorrelations were examined for item reduction. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on retained items. Correlations were performed with other voice-related instruments. Reliability was tested using a coefficient of stability. RESULTS:: One hundred seventy-four employed patients with dysphonia were enrolled in this study. Six items were removed because of redundancy, factor analysis, and cognitive interview results. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 1-factor structure explaining 66.28% of the total variance. The final 8-item instrument demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.93), with a moderately robust correlation with the VHI ( r = 0.68, P < .001) and WPAI work impairment measures ( r = 0.63, P < .001). The VHI showed a much weaker correlation with WPAI work impairment ( r = 0.48, P < .001). Test-retest reliability was good (0.83, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS:: An 8-item instrument to qualitatively measure the impact of a disordered voice at work has been developed and is called the Work Hoarse. This instrument is a better measure of voice-related work productivity impairment than the VHI and will augment quantitative work productivity instruments that are currently available.

Development of a voice disorder work productivity inventory utilizing cognitive interviewing technique.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Voice disorders have been shown to impair workplace productivity primarily by reduced efficiency while at work (presenteeism) versus increased days missed (absenteeism). Work productivity measures such as the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) Questionnaire or the World Health Organization Health - Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ) can be customized to a specific disease but do not fully capture impaired work productivity associated with voice disorders. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel questionnaire to evaluate work productivity in patients with voice disorders. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive. METHODS: At a tertiary medical center, patients with gainful employment and with chronic voice disorders were given the WPAI, HPQ, and 20 voice-related statements (VRS-20). Cognitive interviews were conducted and recorded with all patients. RESULTS: Ten patients (7 females, 3 males) completed the questionnaires and subsequent cognitive interviews. One patient had spasmodic dysphonia, 6 had benign vocal fold lesions, and 3 had vocal fold motion disorders. The median VHI-10 was 18 (9-40). Themes that emerged during interviews include: avoiding oral communication/telephone, use of voice associated with strain/fatigue, frustration and stress at work, and workplace integrity. Conclusions: In cognitive interviews, participants felt the VRS-20 captured the impact of their voice disorder at work better than the WPAI and HPQ. Participants also felt some statements were more important than others. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.

RIZ1: a potential tumor suppressor in glioma.

BACKGROUND: Retinoblastoma protein-interacting zinc-finger gene 1 (RIZ1) displays strong tumor suppressive activities, and its expression is often silenced in many types of human tumors. However, the relationship between RIZ1 expression and glioma prognosis remains unclear. METHODS: The dysregulation of RIZ1 was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and immunohistochemical analysis of gliomas from 51 patients. Correlation analysis was performed to examine relationships between RIZ1 immunoreactivity, clinicopathological features, and patient prognosis. Also, human malignant glioma U87 and U251 cell lines were stably transduced with ectogenic RIZ1 using a lentiviral vector to investigate the effects of induced expression of RIZ1 on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. RESULTS: Real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis showed that RIZ1 was downregulated in high-grade gliomas compared with low-grade gliomas and normal brain tissue. Immunohistochemistry showed less RIZ1 labeling in high-grade gliomas than in low-grade gliomas. There was a negative correlation between RIZ1 and Ki-67 immunoreactivity. Clinicopathological evaluation revealed that RIZ1 expression was negatively correlated with tumor grade and patient age. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a positive correlation between RIZ1 immunoreactivity level and progression-free and overall survival times. Multivariate analysis showed that high RIZ1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for patients with gliomas. Induced expression of RIZ1 in U87 and U251 cells reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis, and cell cycle analysis revealed that a majority of cells were arrested at G2-M. Moreover, transfection with a RIZ1 expression vector increased p53 and caspase-3 expression and decreased p-IKBα and p-AKT protein levels, suggesting that RIZ1 may stimulate p53-mediated apoptosis and inhibit p-IKBα and p-AKT signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that high RIZ1 labeling is indicative of lower grades of gliomas and is associated with better progression-free and overall survival rates. Therefore, RIZ1 may be a promising therapeutic target for patients with gliomas.

[The cultivation and migration in vitro of olfactory ensheathing cells from human olfactory mucosa].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the bionomics of the olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) of human olfactory mucosa. METHOD: To separate and cultivate the OECs of human and rat olfactory mucosa. To observe the cell growth, cell grouping and cell migration in vitro of the two types of OECs. RESULT: Successfully separated and cultivated the OECs of human and rat olfactory mucosa. OECs of the human and rat olfactory mucosa had the similar cell growth, cell grouping and cell migration ability in vitro. CONCLUSION: OECs of the human and rat olfactory mucosa have the similar bionomics in vitro, as a result, OECs of the human olfactory mucosa could be a reliable source of cell transplant for nerve injury.

Efficacy and safety of semicircular canal occlusion for intractable horizontal semicircular benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

BACKGROUND: Some studies have suggested that semicircular canal occlusion is effective and safe for treating intractable posterior semicircular benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (PSC-BPPV), and adverse effects of canal occlusions for intractable horizontal semicircular BPPV (HSC-BPPV) were rarely reported. The aim of this study was to retrospectively discuss the efficacy of semicircular canal occlusion for intractable HSC-BPPV with at least 2 years of follow-up. METHODS: From 2000 to 2011, 3 female patients (average age=60±6.9 years), with a diagnosis of HSC-BPPV refractory to head-shake and barbecue roll maneuver, underwent semicircular canal occlusion treatment in our hospital. The supine roll test was performed to diagnose HSC-BPPV and evaluate the treatment efficacy. RESULTS: All patients with intractable HSC-BPPV had complete resolution of their positional vertigo after semicircular canal occlusion with a negative supine roll test. All patients reported transient postoperative disequilibrium, nausea, and vomiting, which resolved within 2 weeks. In addition, 1 patient (33.3%) had transient tinnitus, which resolved after 4 months. There were no other significant long-term complications. CONCLUSION: Semicircular canal occlusion appears to be a safe and well-tolerated treatment modality for intractable HSC-BPPV. However, further studies with large sample sizes are needed to confirm our conclusion.

MDA-7/IL-24 inhibits cell survival by inducing apoptosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

AIMS: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common primary malignancy of the nasopharynx. Due to its local recurrence and distant metastasis, conventional therapy is usually ineffective. MDA-7/IL-24 (melanoma differentiation associated gene 7), a member of the IL10 family of cytokines, inhibits growth of various human cancer cells, but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. There is no report of mda-7 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We aimed to investigate the role of MDA-7/IL-24 in NPC. METHODS: Immune defective adenoviral vector carrying the gene was produced, infected NPC CNE cells and observed its growth, cell proliferation, apoptosis and the effect of combination with chemotherapy. RESULTS: The results showed that (1) MDA-7/IL-24 inhibited NPC CNE cell growth and survival; (2) mda-7 induced cell apoptosis and death; (3) MDA-7/IL-24 in collaboration with chemotherapy induced cell apoptosis significantly; (4) MDA-7/IL-24 induced cell apoptosis by down-regulation of anti-apoptosis molecules such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl and up-regulation of caspase 3. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that MDA-7/IL-24 had obvious therapeutic effect in NPC cells. It is verified that adenovirus mediated MDA-7/IL-24 represents a potentially important new approach to NPC therapy.

Zinc sulfate therapy of vocal process granuloma.

Vocal process granuloma is a benign lesion that occurs on the arytenoid cartilage. It tends to recur locally, and there is a great diversity of methods to treat it. Here, we reviewed the effects of zinc sulfate therapy program in 16 patients with vocal process granulomas. Eleven patients had a history of trauma or laryngeal intubation and five patients had unknown origin. Eleven had recurrence after one to three failed surgeries, and the others had no prior treatment. Symptoms included hoarseness, sore throat, lump sensation in the throat and cough that apparently improved. The granulomas did not recur for at least 1 year. No complications occurred. For vocal process granuloma, zinc sulfate therapy is good either as an initial or compensatory treatment.

Study of protective effect on rat cochlear spiral ganglion after blast exposure by adenovirus-mediated human ß-nerve growth factor gene.

OBJECTIVE: To study whether adenovirus-mediated human ß-nerve growth factor (Ad-hNGFß) gene has any protective effect on rat cochlear spiral ganglion after blast exposure. METHODS: Deafness was induced by blast exposure (172.0 dB) in 20 healthy rats. Seven days after blast exposure, Ad-hNGFß was infused into the perilymphatic space of 10 animals as the hNGFß/blast group, and artificial perilymph fluid (APF) was infused into the perilymphatic space of 10 animals as the APF/blast control group. An additional control group consisted of 10 healthy rats which received Ad-hNGFß target gene with no blast exposure (hNGFß/control group). Auditory functions were monitored by thresholds of auditory brain stem responses (ABR). At weeks 1, 4, and 8 postoperatively, the animals were killed, and the cochleae were removed for immunohistochemical, hematoxylin and eosin staining study. RESULTS: The ABR threshold shifts in the hNGFß/blast group were significantly smaller than that of APF/blast control group. There were no significant differences of the ABR values between before and after operation in the hNGFß/control group. Expression of Ad-hNGFß protein was detected in each turn of the cochlea in the first week, with almost equal intensity in all turns. In the fourth week, the reactive intensity decreased. In the eighth week, no reaction was detectable. The results of hematoxylin and eosin stain showed that the number of spiral ganglions in the hNGFß/blast group was significantly greater than that of the APF/blast control group in the 4th week (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Adenovirus-mediated human ß-nerve growth factor can be expressed at a high level and for a relatively long period in the blast impaired cochlea, suggesting that Ad-hNGFß has a protective effect on rat cochlear spiral ganglion cells after blast exposure.

[The investigation for the neuropeptides of nasal septum in perennial allergic rhinitis patient].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of neuropeptides in the nasal septum of the perennial allergic rhinitis patients, and the mechanism of the alleviation effect of nasal septum rectification to allergic rhinitis. METHOD: Forty-five patients with deviation of nasal septum (20 with allergic rhinitis and 25 without), who undergone nasal septum rectification in Changhai hospital during Jun to Dec, 2007, were included in this research. The levels of SP, VIP, CGRP of the nasal septum were determined by radioimmunoassay. RESULT: In the normal controls, the SP, VIP and CGRP levels of the nasal septal cartilages were lower than that of the nasal septal bones (P<0.05), while in the perennial allergic rhinitis patients group, there were no statistical significance between the SP, VIP levels of the nasal septal cartilages and that of the nasal septal bones (P>0.05), and the CGRP level of the nasal septal cartilages was higher than that of the nasal septal bones (P<0.05). The SP, VIP levels of the nasal septal cartilages in the perennial allergic rhinitis patients group were higher than that in the normal controls (P<0.05), and there were no statistical significance between the levels of the nasal septal bones in the two groups (P>0.05). There were no statistical significance between the CGRP levels of the nasal septal cartilages in the two groups (P>0.05), neither did that of the nasal septal bones in the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The SP level of the nasal septum in the perennial allergic rhinitis patients was higher than that in the normal controls, which was more obvious in the nasal septal cartilages. The VIP level of the nasal septum in the perennial allergic rhinitis patients was higher than that in the normal controls, which was more obvious in the nasal septal cartilages. There were no statistical significance between the CGRP levels of the nasal septum in the perennial allergic rhinitis patients and the normal controls.