The purpose of the study was to explore the regeneration effect of the ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction-mediated hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene system on facial nerve injury in rats. Forty (40) rats were randomly divided into 4 groups after the models of facial nerve injury were established: A, phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group; B, HGF and microbubble (HGF + MB) group; C, HGF and ultrasound (HGF + US) group; D, HGF + ultrasound + microbubble (HGF + MB/US) group. Rats were

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... rificed, and facial nerves were enucleated at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment. Gene and protein levels of HGF were detected by quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot, respectively. In the rat facial nerve injury model, HGF gene and protein expression were significantly higher in the injured facial nerves of the HGF + MB/US group compared to those of the other groups (P < 0.05). Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction effectively transfects the HGF gene into target tissues and has a significant effect on an injured facial nerve, thus, providing a new strategy for gene therapy in facial nerve injury.