100 Years of Exploiting Diet and Nutrition for Tissue Regeneration

Abstract

In this forum piece, we review progress in exploiting diet and nutrition for enhancing tissue regeneration with a particular emphasis on how dietary composition and diet-induced physiology influence adult stem cell biology.

Figure 1.. Deciphering the Metabolic Regulation of Adult Stem Cell Fate

Omics analyses uncover the association between the metabolic features and cell identities at single-cell resolution. Organoid cultures and genome-editing technology enable large-scale screening for the metabolic cell-fate determinants. Precision dietary and genetically engineered mouse models help determine in vivo functional phenotypes.

Figure 2.. Developing Pro-regenerative Dietary Approaches

(A) Pro-regenerative effects of longevity- and health-promoting interventions. Calorie restriction, fasting interventions, and ketogenic diets exert beneficial effects on adult stem and progenitor cells in many tissues and organs, highlighting their potential for tissue regeneration. Black arrows indicate activation, while gray arrows denote inhibition of regenerative activity. Question marks highlight unanswered areas. (B) Approaches to overcome challenges in translating discoveries from mouse models to humans. Lifestyle disease models address prevalence of metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes in human populations. Humanized microbiome gnotobiotic mouse models help delineate the effects of processed food on the gut microbiome. Translatable biomarkers increase the relevance and solidify the promises of pre-clinical studies.