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Review
. 2019 Aug;78(3):305-312.
doi: 10.1017/S0029665119000016. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Nutritional modulation of the epigenome and its implication for future health

Mark A Burton  1 , Karen A Lillycrop  2
Affiliations
Review

Nutritional modulation of the epigenome and its implication for future health

Mark A Burton et al. Proc Nutr Soc. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as type-2 diabetes and CVD are now highly prevalent in both developed and developing countries. Evidence from both human and animal studies shows that early-life nutrition is an important determinant of NCD risk in later life. The mechanism by which the early-life environment influences future disease risk has been suggested to include the altered epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Epigenetic processes regulate the accessibility of genes to the cellular proteins that control gene transcription, determining where and when a gene is switched on and its level of activity. Epigenetic processes not only play a central role in regulating gene expression but also allow an organism to adapt to the environment. In this review, we will focus on how both maternal and paternal nutrition can alter the epigenome and the evidence that these changes are causally involved in determining future disease risk.

Keywords: CpG cytosine and guanine nucleotides linked by a phosphate; NCD non-communicable disease; PR protein restricted; miRNA microRNA; ncRNA non-coding RNA; tRNA transfer RNA; Biomarkers; DNA methylation; Developmental origins of adult disease; Epigenetics; Nutrition.

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