Effects of excessive sugar consumption on social recognition behavior of rats exposed to prolonged stress
Büyükgüdük, İlkim
Objective: As a result of non-tolerable toxic stress caused by negative life experiences, the first symptoms causing impairment in functionality of an individual are seen in social field. we aim to investigate the alterations in the social recognition and memory tests in excessive sugar consumed animals exposed to single prolonged stress. Methods: Adult female rats (n=15) were divided into two groups and 10% corn syrup was added to the diet of the experimental group for 10 days, while only water and standard pellets were given to the controls. At the end of the diet, single prolonged stress protocol (2 hours immobilization, 20 minutes forced swim and ether until anesthesia) was applied to the animals. Animals were kept under control conditions for 7 days. Animals were conditioned with high...
Alterations in motor functions of rats after systemic delivery of genes encoding native or mutant transactive response DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43)
Büyükgüdük, İlkim
Objective: Transactive response-DNA binding proteinopathy (TDP-43) has become a hallmark feature in motor neuron diseases. Not only overexpression, but also deletion of the nuclear localization signal (NLS) causes proteinopathic alterations. We employed viral vector mediated gene transfer method for delivery of genes encoding native or mutant TDP-43 to assess motor functions of young adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: Motor neuron specific targeting of AAV9 vectors were achieved by using a cell type specific promoter (UCHL1). While control animals received SF injection (n=10), experimental groups were injected by either native or NLS-deleted viruses (1.77×1012 vg/kg, n=7/each group), on postnatal day 30. Following systemic injection of viruses, motor coordination of anim...
Corticospinal motor neuron specific transduction of the TARDBP gene via viral vectors
Büyükgüdük, İlkim
Objective: Recent studies show that mutations and overexpression of the TARDBP gene causes pathological aggregates and inclusion bodies in neurons. This is one of the underlying causes of the progressive neuronal degeneration and apoptosis seen in motor neuron diseases. In this study, we investigated the morphological changes in the rat motor cortex after transduction of neurons by viral vectors expressing either full-length hTDP-43 or nuclear localization sequence-deleted hTDP-43 (hTDP-43-ΔNLS). Methods: Experimental (hTDP-43 and hTDP-43-ΔNLS) and control (SF injected) groups of 4 week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (n=6, for each group) received intravenous injection of viral vectors (AAV2-9 serotype, 1.77x1012 vg/kg) designed under the control of a specific promoter (ubiquitin carboxyl-termin...