Relationship between toll-like receptor expression in the distal facial nerve and facial nerve recovery after injury

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether toll-like receptor expression patterns differ in the distal facial nerve during recovery after crushing and cutting injuries. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent crushing or cutting injury of the unilateral facial nerve. Their whisker movement and blink reflex were examined. Western blotting was performed with the normal nerve on the left side and the damaged nerve on the right side, four days, 14 days, and 3 months after injury. Results: The scores of whisker movements and blink reflex in the crushing group showed improvements, while the score of the cutting group was significantly lower at 14 days and 3 months (p < 0.05). Western blotting showed that TLRs 11 and 13 increased in the crushing group, and TLRs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13 increased in the cutting group after 14 days (p < 0.05). After 3 months, TLRs 10 and 11 increased in the crushing group, and TLRs 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, and 12 increased in the cutting group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: TLRs 1, 4, 5, 8, and 12 are related to nerve degeneration after facial nerve injury, and TLRs 10, 11, and 13 are related to recovery from facial palsy.