The Role of Inflammation in Chronic Diseases, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Epigenetic Pathways

Abstract

Dietary components are known to have effects on chronic non-communicable diseases by influencing the epigenome. Nutriepigenomics, which is a science that examines the relationships between nutrition and epigenetics, has become a promising field in the treatment of chronic diseases within this context. Known to have effects on the epigenome, omega-3 fatty acids are not only significant source of energy, but also act as ligands of transcription factors, thus acting as metabolic regulators. Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids can change gene expression by various mechanisms, thus having positive effects on chronic inflammation that contributes to the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases. It has been reported that omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, control some important molecular cell mechanisms, by generating an anti-inflammatory effect in inflammation-related diseases. It is also stated that these fatty acids can provide these positive effects by altering epigenetic markers such as DNA methylation. The literature shows that omega-3 fatty acids can modulate the expression of several pro-inflammatory genes by interacting with various nuclear receptors and transcription factors, thus leading to changes in the activation of these genes. In general, it is known that omega-3 fatty acids can generate an anti-inflammatory effect by interacting with nuclear factor κB (NFκB), PPAR- γ (PPARG) and G protein-coupled receptor (GPR120), which play an active role in inflammation. These mechanisms are complex. The purpose of this review is to explain the epigenetic mechanisms by which omega-3 fatty acids affect inflammatory processes.