The Impact of Nutrition on Differential Methylated Regions of the Genome

Nutrition has always played an important role in health and disease, ranging from common diseases to its likely contribution to the fetal origins of adult disease. However, deciphering the molecular details of this role is much more challenging. The impact of nutrition on the methylome, i.e., DNA methylation, has received particular attention in more recent years. Our understanding of the complexity of the methylome is evolving as efforts to catalog the DNA methylation differences that exist between different tissues and individuals continue. We review selected examples of animal and human studies that provide evidence that, in fact, specific genes and DNA methylation sites are subject to change during development and during a lifetime as a direct response to nutrition. Investigation of the methyl donors folate, choline, and methionine provide the most compelling evidence of a role in mediating DNA methylation changes. Although a number of candidate regions/genes have been identified to date, we are just at the beginning in terms of cataloging so-called nutrient-sensitive methylation variable positions in humans. Adv. Nutr. 2: 463-471, 2011.