Premium
Curcumin as a regulator of epigenetic events
Author(s) -
Teiten MarieHélène,
Dicato Mario,
Diederich Marc
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
molecular nutrition and food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.495
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1613-4133
pISSN - 1613-4125
DOI - 10.1002/mnfr.201300201
Subject(s) - epigenetics , histone deacetylase , histone , curcumin , biology , dna methylation , carcinogenesis , regulator , cancer epigenetics , cancer research , gene expression , dna methyltransferase , regulation of gene expression , dna , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , gene , histone methyltransferase
Epigenetic alterations correspond to changes in DNA methylation, covalent modifications of histones, or altered mi RNA expression patterns. These three mechanisms are interconnected and appear to be key players in tumor progression and failure of conventional chemotherapy. Dietary components emerged as a promising source of new epigenetically active compounds able to reverse these alterations and to actively regulate gene expression as well as molecular targets implicated in tumorigenesis. The polyphenolic compound curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a yellow spice that enters into the composition of curry, already described for its diverse and broad biological activities, is nowadays well described as an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase so that it is considered as a DNA hypomethylating agent. It reestablishes the balance between histone acetyl transferase and histone deacetylase ( HDAC 1, 3, 4, 5, 8) activity to selectively activate or inactivate the expression of genes implicated in cancer death and progression, respectively. Finally curcumin modulates mi RNA s (mi R ‐15a, mi R ‐16, mi R ‐21, mi R ‐22, mi R ‐26, mi R ‐101, mi R ‐146, mi R ‐200, mi R ‐203, and let‐7) and their multiple target genes. In conclusion, this dietary compound is able to restore the epigenetic regulation balance and appears as an attractive preventive and/or therapeutic approach against human cancer.