Developmental PBDE exposure, gut microbiome, and diabetes

PROJECT NARRATIVES Diabetes is a complex disease is caused by an interaction among genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. The persistent environmental chemicals polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are linked to diabetes in humans and animal models. The proposed study will use humanized mouse models to mechanistically investigate how early life PBDE exposure mediated dysbiosis modulates host receptor signaling and contributes to delayed onset of diabetes phenotype in adulthood, paving the path for identifying novel “druggable” targets within the gut microbiome to reduce PBDE-induced persistent adverse health effects in humans.