Nutritional influences on epigenetics and age-related disease

Park, LK; Friso, S; Choi, SW

HERO ID

6773782

Reference Type

Journal Article

Subtype

Review

Year

2012

Language

English

PMID

22051144

HERO ID 6773782
Material Type Review
In Press No
Year 2012
Title Nutritional influences on epigenetics and age-related disease
Authors Park, LK; Friso, S; Choi, SW
Journal Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
Volume 71
Issue 1
Page Numbers 75-83
Abstract Nutritional epigenetics has emerged as a novel mechanism underlying gene-diet interactions, further elucidating the modulatory role of nutrition in aging and age-related disease development. Epigenetics is defined as a heritable modification to the DNA that regulates chromosome architecture and modulates gene expression without changes in the underlying bp sequence, ultimately determining phenotype from genotype. DNA methylation and post-translational histone modifications are classical levels of epigenetic regulation. Epigenetic phenomena are critical from embryonic development through the aging process, with aberrations in epigenetic patterns emerging as aetiological mechanisms in many age-related diseases such as cancer, CVD and neurodegenerative disorders. Nutrients can act as the source of epigenetic modifications and can regulate the placement of these modifications. Nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism, namely folate, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, riboflavin, methionine, choline and betaine, are involved in DNA methylation by regulating levels of the universal methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine and methyltransferase inhibitor S-adenosylhomocysteine. Other nutrients and bioactive food components such as retinoic acid, resveratrol, curcumin, sulforaphane and tea polyphenols can modulate epigenetic patterns by altering the levels of S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine or directing the enzymes that catalyse DNA methylation and histone modifications. Aging and age-related diseases are associated with profound changes in epigenetic patterns, though it is not yet known whether these changes are programmatic or stochastic in nature. Future work in this field seeks to characterise the epigenetic pattern of healthy aging to ultimately identify nutritional measures to achieve this pattern.
Doi 10.1017/S0029665111003302
Pmid 22051144
Wosid WOS:000299884200009
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English