Why Are Genetics Important for Nutrition? Lessons from Epigenetic Research

Abstract

Marked advances were made over the last decade in deciphering the molecular mechanisms on how external, nutritional factors can impact on the regulation of genes and ultimately their function without modification of the genetic code. This field of nutrigenomic research is literally exploding. With the understanding of epigenetic control mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation, methylation or phosphorylation, as well as the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression via non-coding microRNA, many different experimental and analytic approaches were possible to elucidate how varying nutritional support might impact on specific functions, with short- and potently long-term effects. This review highlights the major principles of epigenetic control mechanisms and their link to particular nutritional influences. Epidemiological data, such as the Dutch famine studies, suggest that targeted nutritional intervention might be causative for long-term effects on health, such as the increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome in this cohort. However, to date most of the knowledge comes from experimental and animal data, which cannot be easily transferred to human situations. It is anticipated that within the next few years, major advances will be made to translate this knowledge of nutritional intervention on gene regulation and expression into health preventive programs.

Low Oxygen Consumption is Related to a Hypomethylation and an Increased Secretion of IL-6 in Obese Subjects with Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome

“…On the other hand, it is known that certain environmental factors influence the epigenetic programming in cells through chemical nucleotide modification [10,11]. Different non-nutritional risk factors such as oxygen availability and oxidative stress, together with obesity are potentially involved in these epigenetic modifications [12,13].…”

Epigenetics in the development, modification, and prevention of cardiovascular disease

“…However, epidemiologic data such as the Dutch famine studies add support to nutritional abnormalities as causative for longterm effects on metabolic syndrome and increased CV disease risk [36]. In children born small for gestational age, poor nutrition during gestation appears to modify metabolism to adapt to a chronic decrease in nutrition [37].…”

Gene–environment interactions in human health: case studies and strategies for developing new paradigms and research methodologies

“…Later, the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATPIII) developed diagnostic criteria for the MetS (Farook et al, 2012; Forti et al, 2012). The International Diabetes Federation and Joint Interim Statement also proposed criteria for identifying MetS (Ruemmele and Garnier-Lengliné, 2012). …”

“…All of these definitions of MetS include abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and hypertension (Ruemmele and Garnier-Lengliné, 2012) and are considered the five indicators of the MetS. If an individual possesses three or more of the five risk indicators, then that person is defined as having MetS and is said to be at increased risk for the development of cardiovascular disease and also for Type 2 diabetes mellitus.…”