Regulatory Mechanisms Induced by Health-Promoting Bioactive Food Components on Sex Steroid Hormone-Dependent Pathways, Cancer Cell-Stromal Cell Interactions, and the Gut Microbiome

The overall goal of the project is to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms that respond to selected food components to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and obesity, with a focus on immune modulation in relation to obesity. A secondary aim is to further develop the utility of a porcine model to test the effect of probiotics and prebiotics on health maintenance through modulation of the gut microbiome and metabolome. Objective 1. Validate protective effects of bioactive food components such as glyceollins, indoles, and isothiocyanates on development of prostate cancer, and elucidate the regulation of sex steroid hormone-dependent pathways and cancer cell-stromal cell interactions as mechanisms of action by these bioactive food components. (NP107; C3, PS3B, C4, PS 4B) Objective 2. Study, in a swine model or other models as approriate, diet and gut microbiome interactions, focusing on the role of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Bacteroides species, for the prevention of obesity and obesity-related metabolic syndrome. (NP107; C3, PS3B, C4, PS 4B)