Çakan, PınarYıldız, SedatÖzgeçer, TubaYıldız, AzibeVardi, Nigar2019-07-182019-07-182018Çakan, P. Yıldız, S. Özgöçer, T. Yıldız, A. Vardi, N. (2018). Maternal viral mimetic administration at the beginning of fetal hypothalamic nuclei development accelerates puberty in female rat offspring. Cilt:96 Sayı:5, 506-514 ss.https://hdl.handle.net/11616/12747This study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal viral infection during a critical time window of fetal hypothalamic development on timing of puberty in the female offspring. For that purpose, a viral mimetic (i.e., synthetic double-strand RNA, namely, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, poly (I:C)) or saline was injected (i.p.) to the pregnant rats during the beginning (day 12 of pregnancy, n = 5 for each group) or at the end of this time window (day 14 of pregnancy, n = 5 for each group). Four study groups were formed from the female pups (n = 9-10 pups/group). Following weaning of pups, vaginal opening and vaginal smearing was studied daily until 2 sequential estrous cycles were observed. During the second diestrus phase, blood samples were taken for progesterone, leptin, corticosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. Maternal poly (I:C) injection on day 12 of pregnancy increased body mass and reduced the time to puberty in the female offspring. Neither poly (I:C) nor timing of injection affected other parameters studied (p > 0.05). It has been shown for the first time that maternal viral infection during the beginning of fetal hypothalamic development might hasten puberty by increasing body mass in rat offspring.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccessPolyınosınıc-Polycytıdylıc AcıdImmune ActıvatıonGlobal BurdenNıtrıc-OxıdePharmacologıcal ChangesInfluenza InfectıonBraın DevelopmentLıfe-HıstoryIn-UteroSchızophrenıaArticle96550651410.1139/cjpp-2016-0535