Opportunities and challenges of polyphenols and polysaccharides for type 1 diabetes intervention

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic β cell. It contributes to high mortality, frequent diabetic complications, poor quality of life in patients and also puts a significant economic burden on health care systems. Therefore, the development of new therapeutic strategies is urgently needed. Recently, certain dietary compounds with potential applications in food industry, particularly polyphenols and polysaccharides, have gained increasing attention with their prominent anti-diabetic effects on T1D by modulating β cell function, the gut microbiota and/or the immune system. In this review, we critically discuss the recent findings of several dietary polyphenols and polysaccharides with the potential to protect against T1D and the underlying anti-diabetic mechanisms. More importantly, we highlight the current trends, major issues, and future directions of industrial production of polyphenols- and polysaccharides-based functional foods for preventing or delaying T1D.

Keywords:

• Polyphenols
• polysaccharides
• type 1 diabetes
• anti-diabetic effects
• functional food

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the funds [National Natural Science Foundation] under Grant [number 82122068] and Grant [number 81870439]; the [Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Jiangsu Province] under Grant [number BK20200026]; the [Jiangsu Province “Six Summit Talents” program] under Grant [YY-038]; the [Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities] under Grant [number JUSRP22007]; the Collaborative Innovation Center of Food Safety and Quality Control in Jiangsu Province and Wuxi Taihu Talent Project.