Table 2

Effects of nerve growth factor on caspase-3 expression in injured facial nerve at indicated times following induction of facial nerve lesion.

Groups	Day 0	Day 7	Day 14	Day 28	Day 42
A	15.90 ± 2.33	—	—	—	—
B	—	84.70 ± 3.47	118.20 ± 3.65	60.40 ± 5.23	40.30 ± 5.74
C	—	53.8 ± 5.07^*^†	78.30 ± 4.22^*^{^†}	26.90 ± 4.18^*^{^†}	20.0 ± 3.83^*^{^†}
D	—	64.10 ± 3.38^*	96.40 ± 6.59^*	38.50 ± 3.92^*	27.20 ± 4.44^*

↵* p<0.01 compared with group B (day 7, p=0.000, day 14, p=0.000, day 28, p=0.000, day 42, p=0.000),
↵† p<0.01 compared with group D (day 7, p=0.000, day 14, p=0.000, day 28, p=0.000, day 42, p=0.002). A - healthy controls, B - facial nerve lesion model + normal saline injection, C facial nerve lesion model + NGF injection through the stylomastoid foramen, D facial nerve lesion model + intraperitoneal injection of NGF