Assessment of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) innervation after an intraplantar injection of botulinum toxin type A (botox) on day 56 of resiniferatoxin (RTX)-induced neuropathy.

NMJ innervation was shown by histochemistry of acetylcholine esterase and immunohistochemistry of protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) in plantar muscles. (A∼C) The overlap of NMJs (blue) and PGP9.5(+) nerves (brown) indicates that the muscle was innervated in the saline group (A) and on post-botox day 3 (Bd3, B) and Bd14 (C). (D) The graph shows the quantitation of NMJ innervation ratios according to immunostaining results of 11A∼C (n = 5, p = 0.96, one-way ANOVA test). Bar, 50 µm.