Nutrigenomics, the Microbiome, and Gene-Environment Interactions: New Directions in Cardiovascular Disease Research, Prevention, and Treatment: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Abstract

Cardiometabolic diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide and are strongly linked to both genetic and nutritional factors. The field of nutrigenomics encompasses multiple approaches aimed at understanding the effects of diet on health or disease development, including nutrigenetic studies investigating the relationship between genetic variants and diet in modulating cardiometabolic risk, as well as the effects of dietary components on multiple "omic" measures, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, lipidomics, epigenetic modifications, and the microbiome. Here, we describe the current state of the field of nutrigenomics with respect to cardiometabolic disease research and outline a direction for the integration of multiple omics techniques in future nutrigenomic studies aimed at understanding mechanisms and developing new therapeutic options for cardiometabolic disease treatment and prevention.

Keywords: AHA Scientific Statements; diet; metagenomics; microbiota; nutrigenetics; nutrigenomics; nutritional status.

Conflict of interest statement

The American Heart Association makes every effort to avoid any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of an outside relationship or a personal, professional, or business interest of a member of the writing panel. Specifically, all members of the writing group are required to complete and submit a Disclosure Questionnaire showing all such relationships that might be perceived as real or potential conflicts of interest.

© 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Figures

Figure.

Potential molecular mechanisms for nutrigenomic/nutrigenetic interactions in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Specific food consumption alters CVD risk through multiple distinct and interrelated mechanisms: (1) differential intestinal metabolism and uptake of nutrients, depending on gut microbiome composition; (2) differential absorption and nutrient binding, depending on individual genotype; (3) modulation of gene expression through specific transcription factor binding; (4) specific effects on methylation and epigenetic modification; and (5) modulation of metabolic signaling through lipids, metabolites, and proteins. SNP indicates single-nucleotide polymorphism.