Tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonist suppresses local inflammatory reaction and facilitates olfactory nerve recovery following injury

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26462579
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: Mie University
• Principal Investigator: Miyamura Tomotaka 三重大学, 医学系研究科, リサーチアソシエイト (20581838)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小林 正佳 三重大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (80343218) ; 玉利 健悟 三重大学, 教養教育機構, 特任講師(教育担当) (90585176)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 嗅覚

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated if TNF-alpha antagonist, etanercept is useful for functional recovery in the olfactory system following injury. We made a model of severe injury by performing olfactory nerve transection using a rigid stainless steel blade in transgenic (OMP-tau-lacZ) mice. Etanercept was injected intraperitoneally just after the nerve transection. Histological assessment of recovery within the olfactory bulb was made at 5, 14, 42 and 70 days after injury. X-gal staining was used to label the degenerating and regenerating olfactory nerve fibers and immunohistochemical staining to detect the presence of reactive astrocytes and macrophages. Etanercept-injected animals showed significant smaller areas of injury-associated tissue, less astrocytes and macrophages, and an increase in regenerating nerve fibers in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggest that TNF-alpha antagonist can be useful as a therapeutic drug for olfactory dysfunction by head injury.

Free Research Field

耳鼻咽喉科