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. 2022 Aug 8;14(15):3245. doi: 10.3390/nu14153245

Table 1.

Epigenetic changes determined by KD.

Epigenetic Modifications Effect of Ketosis Possible Mechanisms Subject of
Investigation
Refs
DNA
methylation
Global DNA hypomethylation Increased brain adenosine Rats [47]
Human [52,54,55]
Modulation of genes regulating DNA
methylation
Rats [50]
Human [57]
Downregulation of DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b Human (subjects with obesity) [62]
Histone
modifications
Covalent modifications to key histones Lysine acetylation, methylation, and
β-hydroxybutyrylation
Cell lines [79]
HEK293 cell, mice [4,40,80]
βOHB inhibits class I histone deacetylases Cell lines [40]
βOHB increases histone acetylation HEK293 cell line [2,82]
Sirtuins-mediated histone deacetylation Cell lines [40]
Global increase in protein acetylation Mice [60]
Increased the levels of histone acetylation Rats [87]
miRNAs Elevation of miR-16-5p, miR-196b-5p,
and miR-218-5p
Unknown. Changes in these miRNAs are
determined by caloric restriction.
Mice [96]
Modifications in hsa-let-7b-5p, hsa-miR-143-3p, and
hsa-miR-504-5p
Unknown. The target genes of the miRNAs are associated with obesity and metabolism-related pathways. Human [97]