IMPORTÂNCIA FITOQUÍMICA DOS ALIMENTOS NA SINALIZAÇÃO CELULAR E MODULAÇÃO EPIGENÉTICA

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.97523250914

• Palavras-chave: Epigenética, Compostos Bioativos, Fitoquímicos.

• Keywords: Epigenetics, Bioactive Compounds, Phytochemicals.

• Abstract: Epigenetics is the scientific field that studies the transformations in the regulation of gene expression, a mechanism that acts in the activation or inhibition of a given gene. In human nutrition, there is evidence that the components present in some foods, the so-called phytochemicals, have the ability to directly influence the health-disease process through epigenetic molecular mechanisms, reducing the risk of developing some diseases. These phytochemicals are natural substances found in plant foods that have been extensively studied. Studies show that certain phytochemicals can modulate the expression of specific genes, affecting the activity of enzymes and transcription factors that control important cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, immune response, in addition to the ability to modulate genes involved in inflammatory processes. This study is a narrative review of the literature in which a total of 13 articles were used (considered suitable after evaluating the inclusion criteria). It is concluded that, far beyond acting in inflammatory processes, antioxidants and signaling pathways, phytochemical compounds have the ability to influence the cell nucleus by altering chromatin, as these compounds can modify histones, which in turn influence the structure of chromatids. Furthermore, they also have the ability to favor the treatment of diseases such as cancer, as they may have a synergistic action with the drugs used, enhancing their action.