Nutritional Epigenetics: How Metabolism Epigenetically Controls Cellular Physiology, Gene Expression and Disease

Nutriepigenomics in Environmental-Associated Oxidative Stress

“…Dietary intake of macronutrients, such as protein, carbohydrates and lipids, causes postprandial oxidative stress in several organs and tissues, mainly in vascular-endothelial tissue, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, nervous tissues and liver and pancreatic β-cells [ 226 , 227 , 228 ]. Additionally, their metabolism provides intermediates, such as acetate, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), α-ketoglutarate, uridine diphosphate, (UDP)-glucose, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), nicotinamide adenine, dinucleotide (NAD+) and fatty acid desaturase (FAD), which are utilized for chromatin modification and thus impact epigenetic changes [ 229 ].…”

“…The dietary supplementation of macro- and micronutrients, as well as of natural substances with antioxidant properties, affects the epigenetic signature of key metabolic genes that can prevent oxidative damage and the associated pathophysiological conditions induced by hypercaloric nutrients [ 229 , 234 ]. For instance, a >3-month diet rich in polyphenols (such as the Mediterranean diet) has long-lasting protective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on the cardiovascular system [ 235 ].…”

The Interplay between Dysregulated Metabolism and Epigenetics in Cancer

“…These modifications are utilized by the cell to regulate gene expression and chromatin architecture, which can have significant impacts on the development and function of the cell in response to internal/external stimuli or in diseased states such as cancer. Investigations have shown that many of these PTM deposition and/or excision reactions require metabolites as cofactors [ 451 , 452 ]. This, therefore, intimately couples cellular metabolic and epigenomic states owing to the shared generation and use of cofactors and metabolites.…”

“…This, therefore, intimately couples cellular metabolic and epigenomic states owing to the shared generation and use of cofactors and metabolites. As such, a cell’s metabolic state can drastically shape and alter its epigenetic state and epigenetic alterations can propagate and alter a cell’s metabolic state [ 451 , 452 , 453 , 454 ].…”

Editorial: Epigenetic regulation of autophagy in inflammatory diseases

“…Epigenetic regulation or the regulation of gene expression through chromatin structure alteration and DNA methylation impacts cellular function and physiological states ( 3 ). Increasing evidence has revealed the interaction between autophagy, inflammation, and epigenetic regulation ( 4 ).…”