| Research
Shows How Nutrients Affect Genes
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While
diet has long been recognized as a key factor affecting
chronic diseases, new University of Florida research
demonstrates how one nutrient can influence the health
of genes at the molecular level.
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| Researcher
Raymond Blanchard, left, former doctoral student
Bernadette Moore and food science and human nutrition
Eminent Scholar Robert Cousins are studying nutrigenomics,
which examines the effects of nutrients on the expression
of genes and how genetic makeup affects a person’s
response to nutrients. |
“The research is part of an emerging new field
called nutrigenomics, which is the next frontier in
nutrition science,” said Robert Cousins, a food
science and human nutrition professor with UF’s
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. “Nutrigenomics
examines the effects of nutrients on the expression
of genes and how genetic makeup affects a person’s
response to individual nutrients and combinations of
nutrients.”
A UF research team, led by Cousins, presented its findings
in two articles on the nutrigenomics of zinc in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last
spring.
“The journal articles establish UF as a national
leader in nutrigenomics research,” he said.
Cousins, who has studied the biological effects of
the micronutrient for more than 25 years, said completion
of the human genome project and a similar genome project
for mice has made it possible to identify which genes
are turned on or off by consuming different amounts
of zinc. The research is supported by grants from the
National Institutes of Health.
He conducted the research with long-time associate
Raymond Blanchard, an assistant instructor in nutritional
biochemistry; Bernadette Moore, a former doctoral student
in the department; and Cal Green, a senior research
associate.
Their research focused on cells of the immune system,
Cousins said. Improved immunity is one of the benefits
of diet with adequate levels of zinc, which is abundant
in red meats and some seafoods.
“We found that some genes were turned off by
zinc, while others were turned on,” Cousins said.
“Those that were turned off by less zinc were
associated with the activation of white blood cells
that protect against a variety of infections. When zinc
was provided, those genes were turned on.”
Working with Michael Popp and Li Liu, scientists in
the DNA Microarray Core at UF’s Health Science
Center, Cousins and Blanchard screened more than 22,000
human genes to identify those that respond to different
amounts of zinc.
Cousins said international public health investigators
are interested in defining the value of zinc in treating
many health problems, such as diarrhea and malaria,
in the developing world. He said their studies also
may be useful in developing targets for new drugs to
treat these and other immune-related disorders.
Cousins, an eminent scholar and member of the National
Academy of Sciences, said the UF research indicates
all humans respond to nutrients in characteristic, genetically
programmed ways.
“In the future, dietary requirements may be more
individualized based upon a person’s genetic profile,”
he said. “Recommendations health professionals
give for diets may depend on how your genes respond
to what you are eating.”
Robert Cousins,
rjcousins@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
by
Chuck Woods
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