Chapter 16 - Polyphenols and their impacts on the host epigenome and the gut microbiome

Abstract

Dietary bioactive compounds such as polyphenols from various sources, including green tea, soya, fruit and berries, cruciferous vegetables, whole-grain foods, fish, and others, have been shown to target enzymes involved in epigenetic gene regulation, including DNA methyltransferases, histone acetyltransferases, deacetylases and demethylases in vitro, and cell culture. Recent research has indicated that the gut microbiota and gut microbial metabolites might be important mediators of diet–epigenome interactions. Only a few microbial metabolites, including folate, phenolic acids, S-(−)equol, urolithins, isothiocyanates, and short- and long-chain fatty acids, were investigated concerning their potential to influence epigenetic mechanisms. This chapter describes the impacts of dietary polyphenols in the epigenome and microbial population in the gut and their health and disease use.