The nutrigenomic-epigenetic axis in cancer: from dietary bioactives to precision oncology
Abstract
Cancer development and progression are increasingly understood to arise from dynamic interactions between genetic alterations and environmentally driven epigenetic regulation, with dietary exposures representing one of the most biologically influential and modifiable factors. Given the expanding evidence linking nutrition to epigenomic remodeling, a comprehensive synthesis of how specific dietary components influence cancer-relevant epigenetic mechanisms is needed to clarify their preventive and therapeutic relevance. This review brings together mechanistic, epidemiologic, and translational findings to delineate the effects of bioactive dietary constituents, including polyphenols, isoflavones, carotenoids, folate, zinc, vitamin D, sulfur-containing phytochemicals, and microbiome-derived short-chain fatty acids, on DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin accessibility, and non-coding RNA regulation. Across these domains, consistent patterns emerge: compounds such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate, resveratrol, quercetin, genistein, and sulforaphane have been shown in preclinical studies to inhibit DNA methyltransferases, modulate histone acetylation and methylation, reprogram microRNA networks, and promote tumor-suppressive transcriptional states; dietary patterns rich in cruciferous vegetables, green tea, grapes, whole grains, marine-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids, and fermentable fibers correlate with reduced cancer incidence; and pro-inflammatory diets high in…
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