Epigenetic modifications by dietary phytochemicals: Implications for personalized nutrition

Abstract

In last two decades, the study of epigenetic modification emerged as one of the major areas of cancer treatment targeted by dietary phytochemicals. Recent studies with various types of cancers revealed that the epigenetic modifications are associated with the food source corresponds to dietary phytochemicals. The dietary phytochemicals have been used in Asian countries for thousands of years to cure several diseases including cancer. They have been reported to modulate the several biological processes including histone modification, DNA methylation and non-coding microRNA expression. These events play a vital role in carcinogenesis. Various studies suggest that a number of dietary compounds present in vegetables, spices and other herbal products have epigenetic targets in cancer cells. Dietary phytochemicals have been reported to repair DNA damage by enhancing histone acetylation that helps to restrain cell death, and also alter DNA methylation. These phytochemicals are able to modulate epigenetic modifications and their targets to cure several cancers. Epigenetic aberrations dynamically contribute to cancer pathogenesis. Given the individualized traits of epigenetic biomarkers, the personalized nutrition will help us to prevent various types of cancer. In this review, we will discuss the effect of dietary phytochemicals on genetic and epigenetic modifications and how these modifications help to prevent various types of cancers and improve health outcomes.

Targeting Epigenetics Signaling with Curcumin: A Transformative Drug Lead in Treatment of Schizophrenia?

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MicroRNA associated with dyslipidemia and coronary disease in humans

“…Another example of how miR may function to allow an organism to adapt to environmental changes is through diet-induced miR activity. We were unable to find any published studies describing the effect of dietary factors on miR activity and dyslipidemia performed in humans, but several in vitro and animal model studies of other conditions indicate that this relationship is plausible (23,25,29,31,47,48,53,60). Increasing interest in the implications of miRs in the area of gene-environment interactions is evidenced by the recent creation of the miREnvironment Database, which cross-references miR species with environmental risk factors and phenotypes (59).…”

Soy Promotes Juvenile Granulosa Cell Tumor Development in Mice and in the Human Granulosa Cell Tumor-Derived COV434 Cell Line1

“…Nutrigenomics (i.e., the role of dietary compounds in regulation of gene expression) has long been investigated in regard to carcinogenesis [1,2]. Among these dietary components, isoflavones are a category of phytoestrogens found in soy with both estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects whose role in tumor initiation and development has yielded conflicting results [3,4].…”

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