Diet, the Gut Microbiome, and Epigenetics
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: Increasingly, the gut microbiome is implicated in the etiology of cancer, not only as an infectious agent but also by altering exposure to dietary compounds that influence disease risk. Whereas the composition and metabolism of the gut microbiome is influenced by diet, the gut microbiome can also modify dietary exposures in ways that are beneficial or detrimental to the human host. The colonic bacteria metabolize macronutrients, either as specialists or in consortia of bacteria, in a variety of diverse metabolic pathways. Microbial metabolites of diet can also be epigenetic activators of gene expression that may influence cancer risk in humans. Epigenetics involves heritable changes in gene expression via post-translational and post-transcriptional modifications. Microbial metabolites can influence epigenetics by altering the pool of compounds used for modification or by directly inhibiting enzymes involved in epigenetic pathways. Colonic epithelium is immediately exposed to these metabolites, although some metabolites are also found in systemic circulation. In this review, we discuss the role of the gut microbiome in dietary metabolism and how microbial metabolites may influence gene expression linked to colon cancer risk.
Source: The Cancer Journal
Authors: Meredith A. J. Hullar, Benjamin C. Fu
Institutions: University of Washington, Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Language: English
Topic: Gut microbiota and health
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: National Cancer Institute
Awards: Obesity, Body Fat Distribution, and Cancer Risk in the Multiethnic Cohort, Established Investigator Award Anti-Inflammatory Exposures in Cancer Prevention, Flaxseed effects on hormones and lignans: role of race, genes, and gut microbiome, Gut Microbiota and colonic gene expression: A ligran trial in humans
OpenAlex ID: W2326432861