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The effect of vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression in experimental necrotizing enterocolitis

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Abstract

Purpose

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious condition, predominantly observed in premature infants. We used an experimental NEC model to investigate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) cloned into a plasmid.

Materials and methods

Twenty-four newborn Wistar albino rats were randomized equally into three groups as follows: control, NEC and NEC+VEGF. NEC was induced by hyperosmolar enteral formula feeding, exposure to hypoxia/reoxygenation and cold stress. In the NEC+VEGF group, VEGF (1 μg) incorporated into plasmid (2 μg) was administered subcutaneously once daily for a total of 3 days starting on the first day of the NEC procedure. All rats were sacrificed on the 4th day of life, and the specimens were harvested for histopathological and biochemical examinations [including tissue oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and nitric oxide), inflammation (myeloperoxidase, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha) and apoptosis (caspase-3 activity) parameters].

Results

In the NEC+VEGF group, tissue malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha levels and caspase-3 activity were significantly decreased. In addition, the myeloperoxidase level was increased compared to that of the NEC group (p < 0.05). Histopathologically, VEGF overexpression enhanced angiogenesis, alleviated villous atrophy and tissue edema (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

VEGF overexpression with plasmids seems to be a promising approach in the management of NEC.

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Acknowledgments

We thank to Gulcin Kamali for their contribution to this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Hande Ozgun Karatepe, Mustafa Berber, Ahmet Ozen, Hulya Ercan Saricoban & Filiz Bakar

  2. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Huseyin Kilincaslan

  3. Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Duran Ustek

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ahu Sarbay Kemik

  5. Department of Endocrinology, Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mine Adas

Authors
  1. Hande Ozgun Karatepe
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  2. Huseyin Kilincaslan
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  4. Ahmet Ozen
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  5. Hulya Ercan Saricoban
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  8. Mine Adas
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  9. Filiz Bakar
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Correspondence to Huseyin Kilincaslan.

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Karatepe, H.O., Kilincaslan, H., Berber, M. et al. The effect of vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression in experimental necrotizing enterocolitis. Pediatr Surg Int 30, 327–332 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-013-3460-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-013-3460-z

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