Retraction Note: Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy inhibits the activation of fetal membrane NF-κB pathway.

The article "Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy inhibits the activation of fetal membrane NF-κB pathway, by N. Gurkan, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2022; 26 (16): 5926-5931-10.26355/eurrev_202208_29532-PMID: 36066168" has been retracted by the author as she stated that Vitamin D was used in the study as supplement and not a drug without the permission of the Ministry. Although Vitamin D is a commonly used supplement during pregnancy, the Local Ethics Committee accepted it as a drug and asked for it to be approved by the Ministry of Health. Therefore, the manuscript has been withdrawn. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/29532.

Fertility protective effect of taxifolin in cisplatin-induced ovarian damage.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate the protective effect of taxifolin on ovarian damage and reproductive dysfunction created by cisplatin administration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 36 albino Wistar female adult rats were equally divided into 3 groups as cisplatin administered only (CIS), taxifolin+cisplatin (T+C) and healthy control group (HG). Taxifolin 50 mg/kg was administered orally by gavage in the T+C (n=12) group. In the HG (n=12) and CIS (n=12) groups, the same volume of distilled water as a solvent was orally administered. One hour after administration of taxifolin or distilled water, animals in the T+C and CIS groups were injected with cisplatin at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally. This procedure was repeated once a day for 14 days. Six animals from each group were sacrificed on day 15, and their ovaries were removed for histopathological and biochemical analysis. Ovarian tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), total Glutathione (tGSH), Nuclear Factor-Kappa B (NF-kB), Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were measured. The remaining animals (n=6 in each group) were kept in the laboratory with mature male rats for two months to breed. RESULTS: CIS administration led to an increase in inflammatory molecules and membrane lipid peroxidation products, and decreased the synthesis of antioxidant molecules. Compared to the CIS group, the ovarian tissue MDA, NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 levels were found to be significantly decreased in the T+C group (p<0.001 for all comparisons). On the other hand, the tGSH levels of the T+C group were significantly higher than the CIS group (p<0.001). Milder ovarian necrosis, fibrosis and follicle damage were detected in animals which were given taxifolin. Four out of the six rats (67%) treated with taxifolin gave birth within 27 days. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated, for the first time, that taxifolin ameliorates cisplatin-induced ovarian injury by decreasing MDA and proinflammatory cytokines and increasing the antioxidant enzyme. The fact that more than half of the animals receiving taxifolin became pregnant suggests that the cytoprotective effect of taxifolin is strong enough to preserve fertility.

Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy inhibits the activation of fetal membrane NF-κB pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) is an important member of the basic cellular inflammatory pathway that regulates inflammation and apoptosis in fetal membranes. Vitamin D (VD) exerts its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects via the NF-κB pathway. This study was designed to investigate amniotic fluid NF-κB levels in pregnant women undergoing VD replacement therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients who received antenatal vitamin D supplementation from the 14th week of pregnancy until delivery were included in the study. Participants were selected among those whose serum vitamin D levels were compatible with insufficiency (20-30 ng/mL), according to the Endocrine Society proposal. Participants were divided into three groups with 20 patients in each group and one of the cholecalciferol or placebo treatments was given. Patients in Group 1 were given 500 IU/day of cholecalciferol, while patients in Group 2 were given 1000 IU/day of cholecalciferol. Patients in group 3 were not given cholecalciferol treatment (placebo). Patients in all groups underwent elective cesarean section. Amniotic fluid samples were collected after the fetal membranes were cut and before the fetal parts were manually removed. RESULTS: The amniotic fluid NF-κB level of the control group who did not receive VD replacement was 9.33±2.02 ng/mL. The amniotic fluid NF-κB level of the 500 IU/day VD replacement group was found to be 6.12±1.23 ng/mL. Compared to the control group, NF-κB levels of pregnant women given 500 IU/day VD replacement were significantly lower (9.33±2.02 ng/mL vs. 6.12±1.23 ng/mL, p<0.03). The amniotic fluid NF-κB level of the 1000 IU/day VD replacement group was found to be 3.09±0.44 ng/mL. Compared to the control group, amniotic fluid NF-κB levels of pregnant women given 1000 IU/day VD replacement were significantly lower (9.33±2.02 ng/mL vs. 3.09±0.44 ng/mL, p<0.01). When the VD replacement groups were compared among themselves, the amniotic fluid NF-κB level decreased approximately twice as much in the 1000 IU/day replacement group compared to the 500 IU/day replacement group (3.09±0.44 ng/mL vs. 6.12±1.23 ng/mL, p<0.01). A negative correlation was found between amniotic fluid NF-κB level and VD dose (r=-0.789, p<0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed for the first time that amniotic fluid NF-κB levels decreased in pregnant women who underwent VD replacement dose dependent manner.

Transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal carcinoma.

Between 1979 and 1990 transhiatal oesophagectomy and reconstruction with stomach was performed in 148 patients with carcinoma of the oesophagus. Ninety-seven patients were men and 51 were women; ages ranged from 21 to 88 years with a mean of 57.4 years. Dysphagia and weight loss were the usual clinical symptoms. The mean duration of symptoms was 14 weeks. Squamous cell carcinoma was present in 129 patients (87.2 per cent), 18 patients (12.2 per cent) had adenocarcinoma, and one had lymphoma (0.7 per cent). In two-thirds of the patients tumours were located in the middle thoracic (50 of 148 patients) or distal thoracic oesophagus (59 of 148 patients). Three-quarters of the patients had tumours determined as stage III. The mean length of hospital stay after operation was 12.8 days. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 15 cases (10.1 per cent). Pulmonary complications other than pneumothorax were observed in 36 cases (24.3 per cent). The 30-day postoperative mortality rate was 8.1 per cent (12 of 148 patients). Respiratory insufficiency was observed as the major cause of death (six of 12 patients). Mediastinitis due to necrosis of the transposed stomach in the mediastinum was the cause of death in three cases. Two-year actuarial survival rates in patients with cervical, upper, middle and lower thoracic tumours were 20, 22, 26 and 30 per cent respectively. Transhiatal oesophagectomy is safe and offers limited morbidity and mortality, although pulmonary complications and anastomotic leakage in the early postoperative period still pose a significant risk, especially for elderly patients in poor condition.