Role of diet in epigenetics: a review

Abstract

Epigenetics refers to the mechanisms that alter gene expression without altering the primary DNA sequence. The epigenetic modifications may be due to cytosine base methylation in DNA or by post-translational biochemical modifications of histones, the core proteins of nucleosomes. Epigenetic mechanisms are heritable and reversible. Epigenetic modifications can occur in response to environmental stimuli, of which the most important one is diet. Nutrients can modify physiologic processes through epigenetic mechanisms. The dietary nutrients enter metabolic pathways and get modified in to simpler forms for the body to utilize. One carbon cycle is such a unique pathway which produces methyl groups to silence the genes. Nutrients like methionine, Vitamin B 12 , folic acid, and Vitamin B 6 , are the key components of this pathway. These methyl-donating nutrients in the diet can alter gene expression. The knowledge regarding nutritional epigenetics is still limited. As Epigenetics is reversible in nature, it is now considered as an attractive field of nutritional intervention. In the future, we need to investigate on more nutrients or bioactive food compounds to find the ones that can improve human health.

A Brief Overview and History of Human Nutrition and Health

“…One carbon metabolism involving folate and methionine integrates carbon units from amino acids and generates substrates for methylation of nucleic acid and protein. Nutritional deficiencies in folate, choline, methionine, vitamins B6 and vitamin B12 modify the regulatory pathways that maintains one-carbon metabolism (Mohanan A, Kanakkaparambil, 2018). The individual genetic traits which are inherited from our ancestors get altered by diet and environmental factors leading to diseases.…”

“…Bacalini et al, (2014) studied the inheritance pattern of epigenetics and environmental factors during different stages of development which has helped focus attention on the contribution of epigenetics in preventing diseases. With ageing, epigenetic modifications are positively related to diet, physical exercise, and lifestyle habits (Lillycrop and Burdge, 2012;Mohanan A, Kanakkaparambil, 2018).…”