Aralıklı Oruç Koşullarında Kolon Dokusunda Apoptozisin Gen Düzeyinde Modülasyonu

Abstract

Aralıklı açlık (IF), apoptoz dâhil olmak üzere hücresel stres yolları üzerinde belirgin etkiler gösteren bir metabolik strateji olarak giderek daha fazla kabul görmektedir. Bu çalışma, aralıklı açlık protokolü sonrasında kolon dokusunda temel apoptoz genlerinin transkripsiyonel düzenlenmesini incelemiştir. On iki aylık erkek Wistar sıçanları, 35 gün boyunca günlük 18 saatlik açlık rejimine tabi tutulmuştur. Kontrol grubu yem ve suya ad libitum erişime sahipti. Anti-apoptotik genler olan B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) ve B-cell lymphoma-extra-large (BCL-XL) ile pro-apoptotik düzenleyiciler olan BCL-2 homologous antagonist/killer (BAK), BCL-2-associated X protein (BAX) ve Cysteine-aspartic acid protease 3 (Caspase-3) genlerinin mRNA ekspresyon düzeyleri, kantitatif gerçek zamanlı PCR ile analiz edilmiştir. Aralıklı açlık, BCL-2 ve BCL-XL genlerinin ekspresyonunu anlamlı düzeyde artırırken, BAK, BAX ve Caspase-3 ekspresyonlarını ise belirgin şekilde azaltmıştır. Bu bulgular, aralıklı açlığın kolon dokusunda apoptotik duyarlılığı azaltan bir transkripsiyonel değişimi tetiklediğini ve böylece hücresel koruyucu bir fenotip oluşturduğunu göstermektedir. Sonuçlar, aralıklı açlığın yaşlanma sürecinde kolon dokusunun dayanıklılığını artırmaya yönelik farmakolojik olmayan bir müdahale olarak potansiyelini vurgulamakta ve moleküler düzeyde yaşa bağlı apoptoz ve metabolik düzensizliklerin hafifletilmesinde uygulanabilirliğini desteklemektedir.

Keywords

• Aralıklı açlık
• Apoptoz
• Bcl-2 ailesi genleri
• Kolon gen ekspresyonu
• Wistar sıçanı

Gene-Level Modulation of Apoptosis in the Colon under Intermittent Fasting Conditions

Abstract

Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained recognition as a metabolic strategy with significant impacts on cellular stress pathways, including apoptosis. This study examined the transcriptional regulation of key apoptotic genes in colon tissue following an intermittent fasting regimen. Twelve-month-old male Wistar rats were subjected to an 18-hour daily fasting protocol for 35 consecutive days. The control group had ad libitum access to food and water. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis was employed to evaluate mRNA expression levels of anti-apoptotic genes B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) and B-cell lymphoma-extra-large (BCL-XL) and pro-apoptotic mediators BCL-2 homologous antagonist/killer (BAK), BCL-2-associated X protein (BAX), and Cysteine-aspartic acid protease 3 (Caspase-3). IF significantly increased BCL-2 and BCL-XL expression while concurrently downregulating BAK, BAX, and Caspase-3. These findings indicate that intermittent fasting induces a transcriptional shift that reduces apoptotic susceptibility in colon, thereby promoting a cytoprotective phenotype. The results underscore IF as a potential non-pharmacological intervention to enhance colonic resilience during aging, supporting its application in mitigating age-related apoptotic and metabolic dysregulation at the molecular level.

Keywords

• Intermittent fasting
• Apoptosis
• Bcl-2 family genes
• Colon gene expression
• Wistar rat

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