Intake of Dietary One-Carbon Metabolism-Related B Vitamins and the Risk of Esophageal Cancer: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2018;10. [PMID: 29954131 PMCID: PMC6073467 DOI: 10.3390/nu10070835]

Substituting red meat with insects in burgers: Estimating the public health impact using risk-benefit assessment

In Western societies, reducing red meat consumption gained prominence due to health, environmental, and animal welfare considerations. We estimated the public health impact of substituting beef with house cricket (Acheta domesticus) in European diets (Denmark, France, and Greece) using the risk-benefit assessment (RBA) methodology, building upon the EFSA-funded NovRBA project. The overall health impact of substituting beef patties with insect powder-containing patties was found to be impacted by the amount of cricket powder incorporated in the patties. While using high amounts of cricket powder in meat substitutes may be safe, it does not inherently offer a healthier dietary option compared to beef. Adjustment of cricket powder levels is needed to yield a positive overall health impact. The main driver of the outcome is sodium, naturally present in substantial amounts in crickets. Moreover, the way that cricket powder is hydrated before being used for the production of patties (ratio of powder to water), influences the results. Our study highlighted that any consideration for dietary substitution should be multidimensional, considering nutritional, microbiological and toxicological aspects, and that the design of new food products in the framework of dietary shifts should consider both health risks and benefits associated with the food.

Role of diet in the risks of esophageal adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma: an updated umbrella review

PURPOSE

This updated umbrella review aimed to evaluate the evidence regarding the associations between dietary factors and the risks of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC).

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant studies. The quality of the included meta-analyses was evaluated using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2). For each association, the number of cases, random effects pooled effect size, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), heterogeneity, 95% prediction interval (PrI), small-study effect, and excess significance bias were recalculated to determine the evidence level.

RESULTS

We identified 33 meta-analyses describing 58 dietary factors associated with ESCC and 29 meta-analyses describing 38 dietary factors associated with EAC. There was convincing evidence regarding the association of 2 dietary factors (areca nut and high alcohol) with the risk of ESCC. There was highly suggestive evidence regarding the association of only 1 dietary factor (healthy pattern) with the risk of ESCC. There was suggestive evidence regarding the association of 11 dietary factors with the risk of ESCC, including fruit, citrus fruit, vegetables, pickled vegetables, maté tea, moderate alcohol, hot beverages and foods, hot tea, salt, folate, and vitamin B6. There was convincing evidence regarding the association of one dietary factor (vitamin B6) with the risk of EAC. There was suggestive evidence regarding the association of 4 dietary factors with the risk of EAC, including processed meat, dietary fibre, carbohydrate, and vitamin B12. The convincing evidence regarding the associations between dietary factors and the risks of ESCC and EAC remained robust in sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This umbrella review highlighted convincing evidence regarding the associations of areca nut and high alcohol with a higher risk of ESCC. Additionally, an association between vitamin B6 and a decreased risk of EAC was observed. Further research is needed to examine the dietary factors with weak evidence regarding their associations with ESCC and EAC.

Cereal intake and mortality in older Chinese: a 15-year follow-up of a prospective cohort study

PURPOSE

We examined the association between whole grain and refined grain intake with all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality using the data from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.

METHODS

19,597 participants aged 50+ years were recruited from 2003 to 2006 and followed-up until April 2021. Multivariable Cox regression was used to calculate hazard radios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Substitution analysis was used to replace a serving (50 g/day) of whole grain with a serving of refined grain.

RESULTS

During 286,821 person-years of follow-up, 4385 deaths occurred, including 1450 from cancer, 1678 from CVD and 1257 from other causes. Compared with never whole grain intake, the highest intake category of whole grain (> 300 g/week) was associated with lower risk of all-cause (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82-0.98) and CVD mortality (HR 0.85, 0.74-0.98). Compared with the low-intake category of refined grain (< 500 g/day), the highest intake category (> 900 g/week) was associated with a lower risk of cancer mortality (HR 0.76, 0.62-0.95), but a higher risk of CVD mortality (HR 1.25, 1.03-1.51). No significant associations were found between whole grain intake and cancer mortality nor refined grain and all-cause mortality. The HRs of all-cause, cancer and CVD mortality substituting a serving of whole grain for refined grain were 0.96 (0.94-0.99), 1.01 (0.99-1.02) and 0.95 (0.90-0.99), respectively.

CONCLUSION

We have first shown that in older Chinese, whole grain intake was associated with lower risk of all-cause and CVD mortality. Our results suggest that intake of whole grain of at least 300 g/week and refined grain of ≤ 900 g/day might be suitable for older Asian. Substituting 50 g/day of whole grain for refined grain was associated with a 4-5% lower risk of all-cause and CVD mortality.

Methyl Donor Micronutrients: A Potential Dietary Epigenetic Target in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by an aberrant immune response and persistent inflammation. Its pathogenesis remains unknown; however, a complex interaction between environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors has been suggested to cause disease onset. Several studies have demonstrated that epigenetic alterations, such as DNA hypomethylation, miRNA overexpression, and altered histone acetylation, may contribute to SLE onset and the disease's clinical manifestations. Epigenetic changes, especially methylation patterns, are modifiable and susceptible to environmental factors such as diet. It is well known that methyl donor nutrients, such as folate, methionine, choline, and some B vitamins, play a relevant role in DNA methylation by participating as methyl donors or coenzymes in one-carbon metabolism. Based on this knowledge, this critical literature review aimed to integrate the evidence in animal models and humans regarding the role of nutrients in epigenetic homeostasis and their impact on immune system regulation to suggest a potential epigenetic diet that could serve as adjuvant therapy in SLE.

Association between Vitamin B12 and Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies

Epidemiological studies focusing on the association between vitamin B₁₂ and gastric cancer risk reported inconsistent findings. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the relationship. PubMed (Medline), Web of science and EMBASE databases were systematically searched. A total of nine studies involving 3,494 cases of with gastric cancer and 611,638 participants were included. The result showed that there is no significant association between vitamin B₁₂ intake and the risk of gastric cancer (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.69-1.12, P = 0.303). Nevertheless, high intake of vitamin B₁₂ might decrease the risk of gastric cancer in Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-negative people (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.62-0.99, P = 0.044), but increase the cancer risk in Hp-positive populations (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.27-2.16, P = 10^-4). Additionally, further analysis indicated that excessive vitamin B₁₂ might increase the risk of non-cardia gastric cancer (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01-1.33, P = 0.006). A negative association between vitamin B₁₂ intake and gastric cancer risk was found in nonsmokers (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.71-0.96, P = 0.012) but not in smokers (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.71-1.47, P = 0.619). In conclusion, although we found no convincing evidence that vitamin B₁₂ intake is associated with the risk of gastric cancer, it is important to maintain the relative stability of vitamin B₁₂ for people with Hp infection.

Effects of maternal folate and vitamin B12 on gestational diabetes mellitus: a dose-response meta-analysis of observational studies

To comprehensively estimate the association of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk with maternal red blood cell (RBC) folate, plasma/serum folate, dose and duration of folic acid supplement (FAS) intake and vitamin B12 separately. PubMed, Web of science, CNKI, and Wanfang Databases were searched through March 26, 2021. We synthesized data using random-effects model meta-analysis in Stata 12.0. Sensitivity, subgroup and dose-response analyses were also performed. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE). Twenty six datasets from thirteen eligible observational studies were included in the study. We found a significant increase of GDM risk with the highest versus lowest category of RBC folate (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.48-2.61, I2 = 0.0%, moderate-certainty evidence) and plasma/serum folate (OR = 1.23, 1.02-1.48, I2 = 57.8%, low-certainty evidence). The dose-response analysis revealed that each 200 ng/ml increase in RBC folate was significantly associated with 8% higher GDM risk. No significant association between dose of FAS intake and GDM risk was found with very low cetainty. Meanwhile, longer duration (≥3 months) of FAS conferred 56% significant higher GDM risk (OR = 1.56, 1.02-2.39, very low certainty evidence). No significant association of GDM risk with highest plasma/serum B12 was observed compared to lowest B12 (OR = 0.77, 0.58-1.02, very low-certainty evidence). Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that higher RBC folate appears to significantly increase GDM risk. Higher plasma/serum folate may increase GDM risk but with low certainty. Further well-designed trials or prospective studies are needed.

Folate Intake and Risk of Urothelial Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies

We aimed to investigate the association between folate intake and the risk of urothelial carcinoma (UC). A systematic literature search using Pubmed and EMBASE databases was performed to find prospective cohort studies, population-based case-control study or hospital-based case-control study investigating the association of folate intake and the risk of UC. A total of 19 studies involving 11,175 cases and 656,161 individuals were included. High intake of folate was associated with a decreased risk of UC, with a pooled OR of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.66-0.93, P = 0.006) for the highest category of intake vs. the lowest. The data suggested that folate may contribute to the prevention of urothelial cancer. However, the association was observed only in case-control studies (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.39-0.79, P = 0.001), but not in cohort studies (RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.87-1.09, P = 0.638). Dose-response meta-analysis showed that an increment of folate intake (100 μg/day) corresponded to an 8% deceased risk of invasive UC (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.98, P = 0.004). High folate intake might be inversely associated with risk of UC particularly invasive UC, which needs to be confirmed.

Changes in the nutritional status of nine vitamins in patients with esophageal cancer during chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Many studies have investigated the relationships between vitamins and esophageal cancer (EC). Most of these studies focused on the roles of vitamins in the prevention and treatment of EC, and few studies have examined the changes in vitamin nutritional status and their influencing factors before and after chemotherapy for EC. Chemotherapy may have a considerable effect on EC patients’ vitamin levels and hematological indicators.

AIM

To research the nutritional status of multiple vitamins in EC patients during chemotherapy and to assess its clinical significance.

METHODS

EC patients admitted to our center from July 2017 to September 2020 were enrolled in this study. Serum concentrations of nine vitamins (A, D, E, B₉, B₁₂, B₁, C, B₂ and B₆), hemoglobin, total protein, albumin, blood calcium, blood phosphorus concentrations and body mass index (BMI) were measured in all EC patients. The changes in nine vitamins, hematological indicators and BMI were compared before and after two cycles of chemotherapy. The possible influential factors were analyzed.

RESULTS

In total, 203 EC patients receiving chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. Varying degrees of vitamin A, D, C and B₂ deficiency and weight loss were found in these patients, and the proportions of vitamin B₂ and vitamin C deficiencies increased significantly after chemotherapy (both P < 0.05). Serum concentrations of vitamins A, C, B₂ and B₆ and BMI before and after chemotherapy were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that vitamin A levels significantly differed between male and female EC patients, whereas vitamin D concentration significantly differed in EC patients in different stages (all P < 0.05). Correlations were observed between the changes in serum concentrations of vitamin A and C before and after two cycles chemotherapy and the change in BMI (P < 0.05). Hemoglobin, total protein, serum albumin and blood calcium concentrations significantly decreased in EC patients after chemotherapy (all P < 0.05), while the blood phosphorus level significantly increased after chemotherapy (P < 0.05). Using the difference in vitamin concentrations as the independent variables and the difference in BMI as the dependent variable, logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant differences for vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin C (F = 5.082, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Vitamin A, D, C and B₂ were mainly deficient in patients with EC during chemotherapy. Multivitamin supplementation may help to improve the nutritional status, chemotherapy tolerance and efficacy.

Epigenetic Study of Esophageal Carcinoma Based on Methylation, Gene Integration and Weighted Correlation Network Analysis

Purpose

Esophageal carcinoma is a common and highly metastatic malignant tumor of the digestive tract. The aim of the present study was to identify potential molecular markers of esophageal carcinoma that may help its diagnosis and treatment.

Materials and Methods

First, mRNA and DNA methylation data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database for the identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and DNA methylation analysis. Secondly, Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify important modules and hub genes. In addition, correlation analysis between DNA methylation genes and DEGs was performed. Thirdly, the GSE45670 dataset was used to validate the expression of the diagnostic and survival ability analysis of genes in TCGA data. Finally, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical analysis of genes were performed.

Results

A total of 2408 DEGs and 5134 differentially methylated sites were obtained. In the WGCNA analysis, the royal blue module was found to be the optimal module. In addition, hub genes in the module, including ESRRG, MFSD4, CCKBR, ATP4B, ESRRB, ATP4A, CCKAR and B3GAT1, were also differentially methylated genes and DEGs. It was found that CCKAR, MFSD4 and ESRRG may be diagnostic gene biomarkers for esophageal carcinoma. In addition, the high expression of MFSD4 was significantly correlated with patient survival. Immunohistochemistry analysis results showed that the gene expression levels of ATP4B, B3GAT1, CCKBR and ESRRG were decreased in esophageal carcinoma tissues, which was in line with the bioinformatics results.

Conclusion

Therefore, these identified molecular markers may be helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal carcinoma.

Vitamin B12 may play a preventive role in esophageal precancerous lesions: a case-control study based on markers in blood and 3-day duplicate diet samples

PURPOSE

It is hypothesized that vitamin B₁₂ may prevent tumor initiation during the early stage of carcinogenesis such as esophageal precancerous lesions (EPL), whereas an excessive level may promote tumor progression during the later stages of carcinogenesis. This study aimed to determine the role of vitamin B₁₂ in EPL by detecting vitamin B₁₂-related markers in both blood and diet.

METHODS

This case-control study based on 3-day duplicated diet samples was conducted in a high-risk area of Huai'an, China. A 100 EPL cases and 100 healthy controls matched by gender, age (± 2 years) and villages were included. Dietary intake of vitamin B₁₂ and cobalt, plasma cobalt level, the serum levels of vitamin B₁₂ and transcobalamin II (TC II) were quantitatively analyzed.

RESULTS

Dietary vitamin B₁₂ intake (p for trend = 0.384) and plasma cobalt level (p for trend = 0.253) were not associated with EPL risk, but high dietary cobalt intake (p for trend = 0.034), increased serum levels of vitamin B₁₂ (p for trend = 0.036) and TC II (p for trend < 0.001) were significantly associated with the reduced EPL risk. However, the significant negative association between dietary cobalt intake, plasma cobalt level or serum vitamin B₁₂ level and EPL was only found in female or male subjects.

CONCLUSION

Excellent transport capability of bio-active vitamin B₁₂ in vivo and adequate levels of vitamin B₁₂ and cobalt may play preventive roles in EPL. Additionally, the association between vitamin B₁₂, cobalt and the risk of EPL may vary in different genders.

B Vitamins and Their Role in Immune Regulation and Cancer

B group vitamins represent essential micronutrients for myriad metabolic and regulatory processes required for human health, serving as cofactors used by hundreds of enzymes that carry out essential functions such as energy metabolism, DNA and protein synthesis and other critical functions. B vitamins and their corresponding vitamers are universally essential for all cellular life forms, from bacteria to humans. Humans are unable to synthesize most B vitamins and are therefore dependent on their diet for these essential micronutrients. More recently, another source of B vitamins has been identified which is derived from portions of the 10¹³ bacterial cells inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract. Here we review the expanding literature examining the relationship between B vitamins and the immune system and diverse cancers. Evidence of B vitamin’s role in immune cell regulation has accumulated in recent years and may help to clarify the disparate findings of numerous studies attempting to link B vitamins to cancer development. Much work remains to be carried out to fully clarify these relationships as the complexity of B vitamins’ essential functions complicates an unequivocal assessment of their beneficial or detrimental effects in inflammation and cancers.

Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis-Immune Hyperresponse-Inflammation Triad in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Impact of Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Approaches

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic infection caused by a novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Patients present a complex clinical picture that, in severe cases, evolves to respiratory, hepatic, gastrointestinal, and neurological complications, and eventually death. The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are complex and multifactorial and have been summarized as a hyperresponse of the immune system that originates an inflammatory/cytokine storm. In elderly patients, particularly in those with pre-existing cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, and pulmonary disorders, the disease is particularly severe, causing prolonged hospitalization at intensive care units (ICU) and an increased mortality rate. Curiously, the same populations have been described as more prone to a gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis profile. Intestinal microflora plays a major role in many metabolic and immune functions of the host, including to educate and strengthen the immune system to fight infections, namely of viral origin. Notably, recent studies suggest the existence of GM dysbiosis in COVID-19 patients. This review article highlights the interplay between the triad GM dysbiosis-immune hyperresponse-inflammation in the individual resilience/fragility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and presents the putative impact of pharmacological and nutraceutical approaches on the triumvirate, with focus on GM.

The Impact of Natural Dietary Compounds and Food-Borne Mycotoxins on DNA Methylation and Cancer

Cancer initiation and progression is an accumulation of genetic and epigenetic modifications. DNA methylation is a common epigenetic modification that regulates gene expression, and aberrant DNA methylation patterns are considered a hallmark of cancer. The human diet is a source of micronutrients, bioactive molecules, and mycotoxins that have the ability to alter DNA methylation patterns and are thus a contributing factor for both the prevention and onset of cancer. Micronutrients such as betaine, choline, folate, and methionine serve as cofactors or methyl donors for one-carbon metabolism and other DNA methylation reactions. Dietary bioactive compounds such as curcumin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, and sulforaphane reactivate essential tumor suppressor genes by reversing aberrant DNA methylation patterns, and therefore, they have shown potential against various cancers. In contrast, fungi-contaminated agricultural foods are a source of potent mycotoxins that induce carcinogenesis. In this review, we summarize the existing literature on dietary micronutrients, bioactive compounds, and food-borne mycotoxins that affect DNA methylation patterns and identify their potential in the onset and treatment of cancer.

Association Between One-carbon Metabolism-related Vitamins and Risk of Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies

Epidemiologic studies focusing on the association between 1-carbon metabolism-related vitamins (ie, folate, vitamin B₆, vitamin B₂, vitamin B₁₂) and breast cancer risk have reported inconsistent findings. We conducted a systematic search of the reported data and performed a meta-analysis of prospective case-control and cohort studies to derive a more precise evaluation. The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched to identify eligible studies. A total of 27 studies involving 49,707 cases and 1,274,060 individuals were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that a high intake of folate, vitamin B₆, and vitamin B₂ might decrease the risk of breast cancer. The corresponding pooled relative risks (RRs) for the highest intake compared with the lowest were 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-0.99; P = .018), 0.94 (95% CI, 0.89-1.00; P = .037) and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.82-0.99; P = .026). No significant association between vitamin B₁₂ and breast cancer risk was found (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94-1.04; P = .604). Further study showed that folate and vitamin B₆ might decrease the risk of estrogen receptor-negative (ER^-)/progesterone receptor-negative (PR^-) breast cancer but not ER⁺/PR⁺ breast cancer. The dose-response meta-analysis indicated a significant linearity relationship between folate intake and a reduced risk of ER^-/PR^- breast cancer. An increment of folate intake (100 μg/d) corresponded to a 7% deceased risk of ER^-/PR^- breast cancer (RR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.98; P = .007). In conclusion, a high intake of 1-carbon metabolism-related vitamins might contribute to the prevention of breast cancer, especially ER^-/PR^- breast cancer.

MTHFR C677T genetic polymorphism in combination with serum vitamin B2, B12 and aberrant DNA methylation of P16 and P53 genes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal precancerous lesions: a case-control study

Background

The study aimed to explore the associations between the interactions of serum vitamin B₂ or B₁₂ levels, aberrant DNA methylation of p16 or p53 and MTHFR C677T polymorphism and the risks of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal precancerous lesion (EPL).

Methods

200 ESCC cases, 200 EPL cases and 200 normal controls were matched by age (± 2 years) and gender. Serum vitamin B₂ and B₁₂ levels, MTHFR C677T genetic polymorphisms and the methylation status of genes were assessed. Chi square test, one-way analysis of variance and binary logistic regression were performed.

Results

The lowest quartile of both serum vitamin B₂ and B₁₂ with TT genotype showed significant increased EPL risk (OR = 4.91, 95% CI 1.31-18.35; OR = 6.88, 95% CI 1.10-42.80). The highest quartile of both serum vitamin B₂ and B₁₂ with CC genotype showed significant decreased ESCC risk (OR = 0.16, 95% CI 0.04-0.60; OR = 0.10, 95% CI 0.02-0.46). The ORs of p16 methylation for genotype CT and TT were 1.98 (95% CI 1.01-3.89) and 17.79 (95% CI 2.26-140.22) in EPL, 4.86 (95% CI 2.48-9.50) and 20.40 (95% CI 2.53-164.81) in ESCC, respectively. Similarly, p53 methylation with genotype TT was associated with increased EPL and ESCC risks (OR = 13.28, 95% CI 1.67-105.70; OR = 15.24, 95% CI 1.90-122.62).

Conclusions

The MTHFR C677T genotype and serum vitamin B₂ or B₁₂ levels may interact in ways which associated with the EPL and ESCC risks. The gene-gene interaction suggested that aberrant DNA methyaltion of either p16 or p53 combined with T alleles of MTHFR was associated with increased risks of both EPL and ESCC.

A Threshold of Objectively-Assessed Daily Sedentary Time for All-Cause Mortality in Older Adults: A Meta-Regression of Prospective Cohort Studies

Background: This meta-analysis aimed to estimate the shape of the dose-response association between objectively-assessed daily sedentary time (ST) and all-cause mortality, and to explore whether there is a threshold of ST above which there is an increase in mortality risk in older adults. Methods: Searches for prospective cohort studies providing effect estimates of daily ST (exposure) on all-cause mortality (outcome) were undertaken in five databases up to 31 March 2019. A random-effects meta-regression model was conducted to quantify the dose-response relationship between daily ST and all-cause mortality. Sensitivity analyses were also performed to test the stability of the results. Results: Our analysis of pooled data from 11 eligible studies did not reveal a consistent shape of association between ST and mortality. After excluding three studies with potential confounding bias, there was a log-linear dose-response relationship between daily ST and all-cause mortality. Overall, higher amounts of time spent in sedentary behaviors were associated with elevated mortality risks in older adults. Visual assessments of dose-response relationships based on meta-regression analyses indicated that increased mortality risks became significant when total ST exceeded approximately 9 h/day. Conclusions: Based on a limited number of studies, this meta-analysis provides a starting point for considering a cut-off of daily sedentary time, suggesting older adults spend less time in daily sitting.

Methyl Donor Micronutrients that Modify DNA Methylation and Cancer Outcome

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that is essential for regulating gene transcription. However, aberrant DNA methylation, which is a nearly universal finding in cancer, can result in disturbed gene expression. DNA methylation is modified by environmental factors such as diet that may modify cancer risk and tumor behavior. Abnormal DNA methylation has been observed in several cancers such as colon, stomach, cervical, prostate, and breast cancers. These alterations in DNA methylation may play a critical role in cancer development and progression. Dietary nutrient intake and bioactive food components are essential environmental factors that may influence DNA methylation either by directly inhibiting enzymes that catalyze DNA methylation or by changing the availability of substrates required for those enzymatic reactions such as the availability and utilization of methyl groups. In this review, we focused on nutrients that act as methyl donors or methylation co-factors and presented intriguing evidence for the role of these bioactive food components in altering DNA methylation patterns in cancer. Such a role is likely to have a mechanistic impact on the process of carcinogenesis and offer possible therapeutic potentials.