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Review
. 2023 Feb 13;28(4):1770.
doi: 10.3390/molecules28041770.

The Epigenetic Effects of Coffee

Qi Ding  1 , Yan-Ming Xu  1 , Andy T Y Lau  1
Affiliations
Review

The Epigenetic Effects of Coffee

Qi Ding et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

In this review, we discuss the recent knowledge regarding the epigenetic effects of coffee extract and the three essential active ingredients in coffee (caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid). As a popular beverage, coffee has many active ingredients which have a variety of biological functions such as insulin sensitization, improvement of sugar metabolism, antidiabetic properties, and liver protection. However, recent researches have shown that coffee is not only beneficial for human, but also bad, which may be due to its complex components. Studies suggest that coffee extract and its components can potentially impact gene expression via alteration of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and ncRNA expression; thus, exert long lasting impacts on the epigenome. More importantly, coffee consumption during pregnancy has been linked to multiple negative effects on offspring due to epigenetic modifications; on the other hand, it has also been linked to improvements in many diseases, including cancer. Therefore, understanding more about the epigenetic effects associated with coffee components is crucial to finding ways for improving human health.

Keywords: caffeic acid; caffeine; chlorogenic acid; coffee extract; diseases; epigenetic effects.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The basic structure of a coffee cherry.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The chemical structure of the three coffee ingredients: (a) caffeine, IUPAC name: 1,3,7-trimethylpurine-2,6-dione; (b) chlorogenic acid, IUPAC name: (1S,3R,4R,5R)-3-[(E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyl]oxy-1,4,5-trihydroxycyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid; (c) caffeic acid, IUPAC name: (E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoic acid.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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