AUTHOR=Vieira Tamires dos Santos , Freitas Flávia Vitorino , Silva Neto Luiz Cláudio Barreto , Borçoi Aline Ribeiro , Mendes Suzanny Oliveira , Olinda Amanda Sgrancio , Moreno Ivana Alece Arantes , Quaioto Bárbara Risse , de Souza Marcele Lorentz Mattos , Barbosa Wagner Miranda , Arpini Juliana Krüger , Sorroche Bruna Pereira , de Assis Pinheiro Julia , Archanjo Anderson Barros , dos Santos Joaquim Gasparini , Arantes Lidia Maria Rebolho Batista , de Oliveira Daniela Rodrigues , da Silva Adriana Madeira Alvares 

TITLE=An industrialized diet as a determinant of methylation in the 1F region of the NR3C1 gene promoter

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1168715

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2024.1168715

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Background</title><p>Dietary composition can modify gene expression, favoring the development of chronic diseases via epigenetic mechanisms.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Objective</title><p>Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and <italic>NR3C1</italic> gene methylation in users of the Brazilian Public Unified Health System (SUS).</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Methods</title><p>We recruited 250 adult volunteers and evaluated their socioeconomic status, psychosocial characteristics, lifestyle, and anthropometrics. Peripheral blood was collected and evaluated for cortisol levels, glycemia, lipid profile, and insulin resistance; methylation of CpGs 40–47 of the 1F region of the <italic>NR3C1</italic> gene was also measured. Factors associated with degree of methylation were evaluated using generalized linear models (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). Lifestyle variables and health variables were included as confounding factors.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Results</title><p>The findings of our cross-sectional study indicated an association between <italic>NR3C1</italic> DNA methylation and intake of processed foods. We also observed relevant associations of average <italic>NR3C1</italic> DNA across the segment analyzed, methylation in component 1 (40–43), and methylation in component 2 (44–47) with a pattern of consumption of industrialized products in relation to BMI, serum cortisol levels, and lipid profile. These results may indicate a relationship between methylation and metabolic changes related to the stress response.</p></sec><sec id="sec5"><title>Conclusion</title><p>These findings suggest an association of methylation and metabolic alterations with stress response. In addition, the present study highlights the significant role of diet quality as a stress-inducing factor that influences <italic>NR3C1</italic> methylation. This relationship is further linked to changes in psychosocial factors, lifestyle choices, and cardiometabolic variables, including glucose levels, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia.</p></sec>