Proanthocyanidins and epigenetics

Abstract

Proanthocyanidins, also known as condensed tannins, are the most abundant flavonoids in the human diet. Proanthocyanidins provide beneficial health effects by mitigating inflammation, oxidative stress, and risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Moreover, proanthocyanidins protect against cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Though several molecular mechanisms have been suggested to explain the beneficial effects of proanthocyanidins, epigenetic mechanisms have recently emerged as important mediators of the effects of proanthocyanidins. This chapter focuses on studies showing that proanthocyanidins can regulate cell functionality by modulation of miRNA expression, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation and methylation.