Presenter: Chad Mourino, College of Life Sciences, Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences
Authors: Chad Mourino
Faculty Advisor: Jeffery Tessem, College of Life Sciences, Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science
Institution: Brigham Young University
Over 10% of the US population has diabetes mellitus, a disease in which the insulin secreting β-cells in the pancreatic Islets of Langerhans are dysfunctional, damaged and in many cases destroyed. This results in decreased functional β-cell mass. Defining the molecular pathways that result in decreased functional β-cell mass, and how to increase it, are essential for designing cures for diabetes. Certain dietary compounds have positive effects on β-cells, including some from cocoa. We have previously shown that cocoa flavanols (such as epicatechin) can improve functional β-cell mass although their absorption is minimal. This suggests that microbiome mediated metabolism of flavanols to flavanol metabolites are essential for their systemic affects. Our current studies focus on the effects of these metabolites on β-cell 1) proliferation and 2) apoptosis. Here we present the effects of β-cells cultured in the presence of the flavanol metabolites 5-phenylvaleric acid (5P) and hippuric acid (HA) on proliferation and survival in the presence of thapsigargin and gluco-lipo-toxicity induced cell death. Further studies of these flavanol metabolites can lead to better understanding of how dietary compounds can modulate functional β-cell mass.