The new year brings new hope and new goals that are targeted at improving quality of life. One common new year’s resolution is healthier diet and workout routines to improve our physical health. Natural sugars and healthier food groups provide the body with energy and increased metabolism. Although eating healthier is a good start to getting on the right diet, it should be a consistent lifestyle. A recent report states that inconsistent dieting can alter gene expression and have lasting effects on the body’s immune system.
An article in Scientific Reports authored by Dr. Frances Sladek concluded the impacts of a high-fat diet in only 5-days. The study at UC Riverside found that high-fat diets can lead to differential gene expression correlated with various diseases including obesity and colon cancer. It was also found to negatively affect the immune system and brain function. Past research has identified the negative effects of high-fat diets, but this current study observed the outcome of three separate diets in 6-months. The researchers then looked in the microbiome of the mice that were fed these different diets and the genetic changes associated with each.
Sladek’s group gave three separate diets to mice including one based on saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. The control group received low-fat diet and the researchers analyzed gene expression to determine a functional output since genes encode for proteins. As expected, the different diets changed the mechanism by which cells in the gut make energy and shifted bacteria growth disproportionately. Sladek and others found significant changes in fat metabolism and the rearrangement of the gut microbiome. More specifically, they observed an increased in pathogenic bacteria and reduction in other microbes that protect the body from pathogens.
A more interesting finding included changes in gene expression responsible for protecting the body against disease. According to Sladek a high-fat diet results in reducing immune system function and provides an environment that allows harmful bacteria to grow. Specifically, the group demonstrated that all three high-fat diets increased expression of ACE2 and other similar proteins. ACE2 is a gene that has been linked to mediate pathogen entry into the body, including COVID-19 spike protein. Additionally, researchers found that a high-fat diet disrupts gene expression of multiple neurotransmitter genes. Although they did not demonstrate a direct link between the two, Sladek suggests this supports the concept of a ‘gut-brain’ axis, in which the brain and gut communicate with each other to maintain homeostasis.
Sladek and others demonstrate the strong link between diet and health. Although all these studies were done in mice, the translational aspect of the work is rigorous. Past literature has demonstrated close connection between health and diet and more research, including this article, has shown diet directly affecting our gene expression. This work is extremely novel and directs readers to be more consistent with their diet choices. A high-fat diet may not affect an individual right away, but the long-term consequences could result in a more serious illness due to weakened immunity.
