Mehedint Mihai G., Zeisel Steven H.
Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care, 2013
Abstract
Purpose of review
Humans eating diets low in choline develop fatty liver and liver damage. Rodents fed choline-methionine-deficient diets not only develop fatty liver, but also progress to develop fibrosis and hepatocarcinoma. This review focuses on the role of choline in liver function, with special emphasis on the epigenetic mechanisms of action.
Recent findings
Dietary intake of methyl donors like choline influences the methylation of DNA and histones, thereby altering the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. The liver is the major organ within which methylation reactions occur, and many of the hepatic genes involved in pathways for the development of fatty liver, hepatic fibrosis, and hepatocarcinomas are epigenetically regulated.
Summary
Dietary intake of choline varies over a three-fold range and many humans have genetic polymorphisms that increase their demand for choline. Choline is an important methyl donor needed for the generation of S-adenosylmethionine. Dietary choline intake is an important modifier of epigenetic marks on DNA and histones, and thereby modulates the gene expression in many of the pathways involved in liver function and dysfunction.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflicts of interestDr Zeisel received grant support from the Pfizer Nutrition, Balchem, and the Egg Nutrition Research Center for studies other than those described in this article. Dr Zeisel is on the Scientific Advisory Board for Solae, American Pistachio Growers, Dupont, Metabolon, and GenoVive.
| PMID: | 23493015 |
|---|---|
| PMCID (Free PMC Article): | PMC3729018 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/MCO.0b013e3283600d46 |
| Category: | Healthy Liver Support |
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