Diet as an epigenetic factor in inflammatory bowel disease

Figure 1 Schematic representation of the interplay of specific dietary constituents with the gut microbiota that interacts with the mammalian epigenome through the production of epigenetic substrates or regulators of chromatin-modifying enzymes. This process leads to epigenetic modifications that affect the immune response, compromising the epithelial barrier and defense mechanisms, resulting in chronic inflammation, as observed in inflammatory bowel disease. VDR: Vitamin D receptor; SCFAs: Short-chain fatty acids; HDACs: Histone deacetylases; EPA: Eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA: Docosahexaenoic acid; RARs: Retinoic acid receptors; RXRs: Retinoid X receptors; RAREs: Retinoic acid response elements; Tregs: Regulatory T cells.