Location: Responsive Agricultural Food Systems Research Unit
Project Number: 3093-10700-001-004-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 15, 2025
End Date: Aug 14, 2028
Objective:
Despite their rich nutritional profile and significant role in American agriculture, especially Texas, pecans remain notably understudied compared to other prominent tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, and cashews. While research on pecans has grown, a considerable gap persists in comprehensive scientific investigation into their unique health benefits and broader applications, limiting consumer awareness and market potential. This relative lack of research with pecans means that the full spectrum of its potential contributions to human health and economic value for producers is yet to be fully realized. The primary objective of this collaborative agreement is to evaluate the efficacy of pecan polyphenols in preventing fatty liver disease, a serious chronic condition associated with obesity and diabetes. Studies suggest that ~25% of US adults have fatty liver disease which can progress to serious and life-threatening conditions. This research holds immense importance for Texas pecan producers by directly linking the consumption of pecans to improved metabolic health and reduced fatty liver disease in offspring from obesogenic diets, using established preclinical models.
Approach:
Polyphenols abundant in specific Texas pecan varieties exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may contribute to improved cardiometabolic health and better blood lipid profiles. Fatty liver disease is an increasingly prevalent comorbidity of obesity and frequently results in more debilitating conditions such as hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. Maternal obesity leads to persistent hepatic steatosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and changes in bile acid profiles and microbiota in offspring. These changes are associated with fetal hepatic hypoxia and other epigenetic changes. Polyphenols present in pecans have been shown to improve mitochondrial function and provide other beneficial effects through improving mitophagy. Increasingly tree nut intake in pregnancy may also provide cognitive benefits to offspring. The cooperator has significant expertise in conducting metabolic and mitochondrial studies using preclinical models. The cooperator will assist in conducting diet feeding studies in mice and provide tissues for gene expression and metabolomics analysis. Using indirect calorimetry, behavioral assessments and hepatic mitochondrial measurements using respirometry, the cooperator will conduct studies to assess the effects of pecan in pregnancy. The cooperator will also provide blood plasma and tissue samples from both dams and offspring for analytical measurements of pecan derived polyphenols and secondary metabolites to be measures by ARS investigators. This valuable information is critical for pecan growers and healthcare providers to employ food-based approaches to prevent effects associated with obesity and chronic metabolic dieases.