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Review
. 2015:2015:587983.
doi: 10.1155/2015/587983. Epub 2015 Aug 3.

Environmental Epigenetics: Crossroad between Public Health, Lifestyle, and Cancer Prevention

Massimo Romani  1 , Maria Pia Pistillo  1 , Barbara Banelli  1
Affiliations
Review

Environmental Epigenetics: Crossroad between Public Health, Lifestyle, and Cancer Prevention

Massimo Romani et al. Biomed Res Int. 2015.

Abstract

Epigenetics provides the key to transform the genetic information into phenotype and because of its reversibility it is considered an ideal target for therapeutic interventions. This paper reviews the basic mechanisms of epigenetic control: DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and ncRNA expression and their role in disease development. We describe also the influence of the environment, lifestyle, nutritional habits, and the psychological influence on epigenetic marks and how these factors are related to cancer and other diseases development. Finally we discuss the potential use of natural epigenetic modifiers in the chemoprevention of cancer to link together public health, environment, and lifestyle.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
One-carbon metabolism and DNA methylation schematic representation of the interaction of dietary components on folate and SAM pathways and their effect on DNA methylation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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