title: Comparison of sirolimus and colchicine treatment on the development of peritoneal fibrozis in rats having peritoneal dialysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is a successful treatment modality for patients with end-stage renal disease. Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) is the most critical complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In our study, we aimed to compare the effects of colchicine and sirolimus on PF induced by hypertonic peritoneal dialysis solutions in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animal experiment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into three groups. The control group received an intraperitoneal injection (ip) of saline. The sirolimus group received the PD solution, plus 1.0 mg/kg/day Rapamune®. The colchicine group received the PD solution ip plus 1.0 mg/kg/day of colchicine. Blood samples were taken to measure the serum levels of VEGF, TGF-β, and TNF-α. Peritoneal tissue samples were taken for histopathological evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TGF-β and TNF-α values in the sirolimus group were found to be statistically significantly lower than in the control and colchicine groups, but the differences between the control and colchicine groups were not statistically significant. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups regarding the VEGF values. Vascular neogenesis and peritoneal thickness were compared; the values in the sirolimus group were statistically reduced compared to the values in the control group. Mild fibrosis developed in 75% of all animals in the sirolimus group; there was no moderate or severe fibrosis observed. Fibrosis developed to varying degrees in 100% of the animals in the control and colchicine groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrates that sirolimus might be beneficial for preventing or delaying the progression of PF and neoangiogenesis. These alterations in the peritoneal membrane may be connected with reduced TNF-α and TGF-β levels.
authors.affiliation: Deptartment of General Surgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sağıroğlu
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Emergency Medicine, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Burak
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sayhan
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, İnönü University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Yağcı
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tülin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yalta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gönül
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sağıroğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Çopuroğlu
authors.affiliation: Deptartment of General Surgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serhat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oğuz
keywords: Colchicine; peritoneal dialysis; peritoneal fibrosis; sirolimus