title: The effect of vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression in experimental necrotizing enterocolitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VEGF overexpression with plasmids seems to be a promising approach in the management of NEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hande Ozgun
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Karatepe
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kilincaslan
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berber
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.forename: Hulya Ercan
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Saricoban
authors.forename: Duran
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ustek
authors.forename: Ahu Sarbay
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kemik
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adas
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bakar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009195:Peroxidase; D053148:Caspase 3