title: Effect of bevacizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor, on a rat model of peritoneal sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peritoneal fibrosis is almost uniform feature encountered in peritoneal dialysis patients. The transition of epithelial cells to mesenchymal phenotype, neovascularization, and consequently development of peritoneal fibrosis occur due to the involvement of peritoneal membrane by various insults such as uremia itself, peritonitis attacks, and exposure to bio-incompatible peritoneal dialysis fluids. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antihuman antibody developed against vascular endothelial growth factor and can reduce fibrosis by preventing neovascularization. There has been no study so far that demonstrates the effect of bevacizumab on peritoneal fibrosis in a rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 41 female Wistar albino rats were divided into six groups. The control group (C) received 0.9 % isotonic saline (2 ml/day) intraperitoneally (i.p) for 21 days. Chlorhexidine group (CH) received 15 % ethyl alcohol and 0.1 % chlorhexidine gluconate (CG) in saline (2 ml/day) i.p for 21 days. The resting group (R) received CG 2 ml/day i.p for 21 days. The bevacizumab-1 group (B1) received CG 2 ml/day i.p for 21 days and bevacizumab 2.5 mg/kg i.p as a single dose on day 21. The bevacizumab-2 group (B2) received CG 2 ml/day for 21 days and bevacizumab 2.5 mg/kg i.p on day 0 and day 21. The bevacizumab-3 group (B3) received bevacizumab 2.5 mg/kg i.p on day 0 and day 21. Peritoneal samples were taken from the left anterior abdominal wall. The thickness, vascularization, and fibrosis scores in the peritoneal samples were assessed using a light microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On histopathological evaluations, peritoneum thicknesses, vascularization scores, and fibrosis significantly decreased in bevacizumab groups B1 and B2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histopathologically, bevacizumab was proven to attenuate fibrotic process in experimental peritoneal sclerosis model.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ada
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. ersansibel1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ersan
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aykut
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sifil
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehtat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animals Science, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Efsun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kolatan
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sert
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sulen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animals Science, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Taner
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Camsari
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D056627:Peritoneal Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000098:blood supply; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000068258:Bevacizumab; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine
keywords: Fibrosis; Growth factors; Peritoneal dialysis; Peritoneal membrane