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Research Poster PresentationsP O S T E R 9 9Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)Faith AvevorFaculty Mentor: Dr. Abdeslem ElidrissiDepartment of BiologyDibutyl Phthalate (DBP) is a developmental andreproductive toxin that causes a broad range ofbirth defects resulting in lifelong neurologicalimpairments. Humans are directly exposed to DBPthrough a variety of manufactured consumerproducts (e.g. water, cosmetics, and stored food,etc.). In our study we evaluated the effects of DBPduring early embryonic and postnatal developmentin FVB/NJ WT or FMRP KO male mice. Mice wereseparated into four treatment groups: WT, WT-DBP,KO, and KO-DBP mice [treated 0.1mg/ml DBP],each group contained two pregnant females. DBPwas first administered to the WT-DBP and KO-DBPpregnant females at E7 (embryonic day 7; sevendays after the copulatory plug appeared). 20 dayafter birth, the off springs were subjected to threedifferent behavior tests to characterize anxiety,locomotor activity and hippocampal-dependentmemory using the elevated plus maze, freezemonitor, the open field the passive avoidanceapparatus respectively. 10 minutes in an elevatedfield, and a 2 day fear conditioning freeze monitortest, 10 minutes in an open field and finally thepassive avoidance paradigm to te4st for theirmemory. After the behavior tests, mice weresacrificed, perfused and their brains wereprocessed immunohistochemically and examinedunder confocal microscopy to evidence the effectsof DBP treatment on the expression of proteinsthat are known to be involved in the etiology ofautism (e.g. GABA (A) receptors, GAD, KCLcotransposter).P O S T E R 1 0 0The Expression ofPseudophosphorylated TauProtein in DrosophiliamelanogasterPhoebe Arriesgado, Cindy Beharry,Faisal Bashier, Princy PauloseFaculty Mentor: Dr. Alejandra AlonsoDepartment of BiologyAlzheimer's is the most common form of dementia.It affects the loss of memory and other intellectualabilities that interfere with daily life. A distinctlesion associated with Alzheimer’s disease is theformation of neurofibrillary tangles in thecytoplasm of affected neurons. These tangles arecomposed of hyperphosphorylated tau, amicrotubule associated protein, which has beenpolymerized into paired helical and straightfilaments. Hyperphosphorylated tau disruptsmicrotubule structure and prevents axonaltransport of protein and chemicals along the axon.Drososphila fly have counterparts for 60-70% ofhuman genome, and its low cost, small size, andshort lifespan make it an attractive organism to beused in research studies. Transgenetic flies withhuman wild type tau, Thr212, Thr231 and Ser 262are replaced for glutamine, Arginine replacestryptophan and arginine replaced for tryptophanplus Thr212, Thr231 and Ser 262 mutant forglutamine was crossed with inducers that willexpress the Alzheimer phenotype in the offspring.The life span and survival rate of the progeny willbe monitored to determine whether thepseudophosphorylated tau affects age. The possibledegeneration of motor neurons withhyperphosphorylated tau will be studied throughconducting climb tests to observe the Drosophiliabehavior. Our preliminary results show that somelines of hyperphosphorylated tau die faster anddisplay abnormal behavior. Further tests willconfirm these results.71