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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Facial Nerve Axotomy in Mice: A Model to Study Motoneuron Response to Injury
Published on: February 23, 2015
[Experimental study of the facial nerve paralysis induced by herpes simplex virus type 1 infection in mice]
Hai-bo Wang1, Hong-yun Feng, Zhao-min Fan
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shandong Provencal Hospital, Jinan 250021, China. wanghb@public.jn.cd.cn
Objective:
To establish an animal model of Bell palsy induced by type I herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infection and to assess the role and site of HSV-1 in the pathogenesis of facial paralysis.
Methods:
Fifty-three female Balb/c mice four-week-old weighted 16-18 g were studied. After scratching the surface of bilateral auricles with a 26-gauge needle, 25 microL HSV-1 with a titer of 6. 7 x 10(7) PFU/ml was inoculated into the right auricle, and the same volume of PBS was placed in the left. As a control, PBS was placed on the bilateral auricles of 4 mice. The HSV-1 DNA in bilateral facial nerve, bilateral brainstem, bilateral trigeminal carrier ganglion, bilateral brain, and blood at different stage was examined with polymerase chain reaction analysis.
Results:
Thirty-seven animals (75.51%) appeared different degree facial paralysis among the 49 inoculated animals. Fourteen facial paralysis (37.84%) were on the right, 3 (8.11%) on the left, and 20 (54.05%) on the bilateral side. Six animals with facial palsy were recovered during 3-13 days, the average recovery time was 7.83 days.
Conclusions:
The existence of HSV-1 in the brainstem and the cerebral cortex is significant for facial paralysis.
