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Research

2007 Spring Seed Funding Competition : Project Profile

Can Maternal Antioxidant Supplementation Decrease the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Offspring of Mothers who Smoke During Pregnancy?

Lead Investigator:

Sandeep Raha, Department of Pediatrics

Team:

The uterine environment is crucial in dictating the future health status of the fetus. Maternal smoking has been shown to cause increases in the incidences of diabetes and cardiovascular disorders in the children of these women. Our group has demonstrated that such in utero stresses can damage the pancreas by affecting the function of mitochondria, the componenet of the cell responsible for producing energy. Damaged mitochondria produce elevated levels of free radicals that can aggravate the progression of disease. Dr. McNulty's group has isolated a number of plant flavanoids that have been shown to reduce free radical damage. We will determine if such compounds can be used to reduce the damage to pancreatic tissues.