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Review
. 2015 Jun;172(11):2756-68.
doi: 10.1111/bph.12854. Epub 2014 Dec 15.

Therapeutic perspectives of epigenetically active nutrients

M Remely  1 , L Lovrecic  2 , A L de la Garza  3 , L Migliore  4   5 , B Peterlin  2 , F I Milagro  3 , A J Martinez  3   6 , A G Haslberger  1
Affiliations
Review

Therapeutic perspectives of epigenetically active nutrients

M Remely et al. Br J Pharmacol. 2015 Jun.

Abstract

Many nutrients are known for a wide range of activities in prevention and alleviation of various diseases. Recently, their potential role in regulating human health through effects on epigenetics has become evident, although specific mechanisms are still unclear. Thus, nutriepigenetics/nutriepigenomics has emerged as a new and promising field in current epigenetics research in the past few years. In particular, polyphenols, as part of the central dynamic interaction between the genome and the environment with specificity at physiological concentrations, are well known to affect mechanisms underlying human health. This review summarizes the effects of dietary compounds on epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of gene expression including expression of enzymes and other molecules responsible for drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion in cancer, metabolic syndrome, neurodegenerative disorders and hormonal dysfunction.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Diagram showing the influence of environment, physiological processes and epigenetic patterns on diseases, and their interaction with one another.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Treatment of tumour cells not expressing ERα (ERα−) with DNMT inhibitors, for example AZA, and HDAC inhibitors, for example TSA, induces re-expression of the ERα receptors in the tumour cells. Thus, the cell is sensitive to oestrogens again, which promote cell proliferation. However, treatment of the ERα+ tumour cells with SERM, for example tamoxifen, induces cell death of these cells. inh, inhibitor.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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