title: Influences of diet and the gut microbiome on epigenetic modulation in cancer and other diseases.
abstract: Epigenetic modulation of gene activity occurs in response to non-genetic factors such as body weight status, physical activity, dietary factors, and environmental toxins. In addition, each of these factors is thought to affect and be affected by the gut microbiome. A primary mechanism that links these various factors together in mediating control of gene expression is the production of metabolites that serve as critical cofactors and allosteric regulators of epigenetic processes. Here, we review the involvement of the gut microbiota and its interactions with dietary factors, many of which have known cellular bioactivity, focusing on particular epigenetic processes affected and the influence they have on human health and disease, particularly cancer and response to treatment. Advances in DNA sequencing have expanded the capacity for studying the microbiome. Combining this with rapidly improving techniques to measure the metabolome provides opportunities to understand complex relationships that may underlie the development and progression of cancer as well as treatment-related sequelae. Given broad reaching and fundamental biology, both at the cellular and organismal levels, we propose that interactive research programs, which utilize a wide range of mutually informative experimental model systems-each one optimally suited for answering particular questions-provide the best path forward for breaking ground on new knowledge and ultimately understanding the epigenetic significance of the gut microbiome and its response to dietary factors in cancer prevention and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 175 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170 USA.
authors.forename: Bidisha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Demark-Wahnefried
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA.
authors.forename: Casey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salvador
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Skibola
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 175 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170 USA ; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA ; Comprehensive Diabetes Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA.
authors.forename: Trygve O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Tollefsbol
keywords: Acetylation; Epigenetics; Epigenome; Gut microbiome; Histone proteins; Methylation