Research Projects
The Role of Exposure to Bioaccumulative Organochlorine Compounds on the Occurrence of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Analysis of recent epidemiological data gathered in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999-2001 (NHANES) determined that there is a strong correlation between serum concentrations of organochlorine compounds including oxychlordane and p’,p-DDE and the occurrence of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. These organochlorine compounds are persistent organic pollutants that are stored in fat tissue and bioaccumulate through the food chain. Almost all Americans over the age of twelve have detectable levels of these compounds in their bloodstream. Thus, the goal of my current research is to delineate the mechanism by which these compounds may elicit or exacerbate insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Currently, I am utilizing NIH3T3-L1 adipocytes as a model to determine the effect of these organochlorines on adipogenesis and expression of cytokines/adipokines that have been determined to cause insulin resistance. In addition, the effect of these compounds on insulin resistance in the two major sites of systemic glucose disposal, the adipose tissue and the skeletal muscle is being explored using NIH3T3-L1 and L6 myotubules, respectively. The overall goal of my present studies is to determine if exposure to these compounds can elicit insulin resistance in these target tissues and to determine the mechanisms by which this occurs.
