The Impact of Nutrition and Environmental Epigenetics on Human Health and Disease

Abstract

Environmental epigenetics describes how environmental factors affect cellular epigenetics and, hence, human health. Epigenetic marks alter the spatial conformation of chromatin to regulate gene expression. Environmental factors with epigenetic effects include behaviors, nutrition, and chemicals and industrial pollutants. Epigenetic mechanisms are also implicated during development in utero and at the cellular level, so environmental exposures may harm the fetus by impairing the epigenome of the developing organism to modify disease risk later in life. By contrast, bioactive food components may trigger protective epigenetic modifications throughout life, with early life nutrition being particularly important. Beyond their genetics, the overall health status of an individual may be regarded as an integration of many environmental signals starting at gestation and acting through epigenetic modifications. This review explores how the environment affects the epigenome in health and disease, with a particular focus on cancer. Understanding the molecular effects of behavior, nutrients, and pollutants might be relevant for developing preventative strategies and personalized heath programs. Furthermore, by restoring cellular differentiation, epigenetic drugs could represent a potential strategy for the treatment of many diseases including cancer.

Nutrition Transition and Cancer

“…Cancer is also an epigenetic disease with mutations in chromatin remodeling enzymes and epigenome or microRNA (mi-RNA) alterations, both possibly due also to nutritional factors. There is also evidence, as already mentioned, of the transgenerational effects of poor nutrition in diets: potential molecular mechanisms include methylation of gametes in the paternal and/or maternal lineage [18]. Indeed, unfavorable environmental conditions are able to influence genetic programming through demethylation of specific regions of the genome and new methylations of other sites.…”

“…Similarly, from about 50 species of animals raised in the early Neolithic, only chicken, pig, and cattle are currently consumed in westernized societies. Additionally, food processing (and ultra-processing), which is the final stage of the current food system, has negatively contributed to changes in food habits, linking persistent and unnatural food consumption to the development of chronic degenerative diseases [16][17][18]. This socioeconomic change has been called "the retail revolution", characterized by the disappearance of fresh markets and the development of numerous, but small, food retailers [19].…”

“…Currently, the food consumed in many parts of the world is shifting from purchases made at local fresh markets to packaged and processed or ultra-processed ready-to-heat or ready-to-eat foods corresponding to more than 80% of calorie intake, at least in the United States [15,18]. Furthermore, Myers et al pointed out that future food production will be affected by climate change with secondary adverse consequences to health.…”

“…Increasing evidence now shows that phenotypic variation can sometimes occur when environmental factors and genetic variants in previous generations create an epigenetic state that persists across generations in individuals who are not directly exposed to that environment or who do not inherit the original genetic variant [18]. Diet may, therefore, have transgenerational effects through epigenetic reprogramming of the gamete-carried determinants and, through this pathway, facilitate the onset of cancer disease.…”

“…A series of plant-and animal-based foods containing nutrients with protective anticancer action is summarized in the comprehensive work of [18].…”