Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases
Bee pollen is characterized by an exceptional diversity and abundance of micronutrients and bioactive phytochemicals. This richness remains very sparsely investigated, but accumulating evidence strongly supports a promising future for bee pollen in human nutrition and medicine. Epigenetic regulation...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Rachid Kacemi Maria G. Campos |
| author_facet | Rachid Kacemi Maria G. Campos |
| author_sort | Rachid Kacemi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bee pollen is characterized by an exceptional diversity and abundance of micronutrients and bioactive phytochemicals. This richness remains very sparsely investigated, but accumulating evidence strongly supports a promising future for bee pollen in human nutrition and medicine. Epigenetic regulation is among the most compelling biomedical topics that remain completely untapped in bee pollen and bee derivative research. In our current research, we identified numerous ubiquitous compounds that are consistently present in this matrix, regardless of its botanical and geographical origins, and that have been well studied and documented as epigenetic regulators in recent years. Given the relative newness of both bee pollen biomedical research and epigenetic studies within nutritional, pharmaceutical, and medical sciences, this review aims to bridge these valuable fields and advance related experimental investigations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that has aimed to comprehensively investigate the epigenetic modulatory potential of bee pollen compounds. Our findings have also unveiled several intriguing phenomena, such as a dual effect of the same compound depending on the cellular context or the effect of some compounds on the cross-generational heritability of epigenetic traits. Although experimental studies of epigenetic regulation by bee pollen as a whole or by its extract are still lacking, our current study clearly indicates that this research avenue is very promising and worth further investigations. We hope that our current work constitutes a foundational cornerstone of future investigations for this avenue of research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-61a96beba89e475cae028dfa7948348d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj-art-61a96beba89e475cae028dfa7948348d2025-08-20T02:48:02ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-01-0114334710.3390/foods14030347Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related DiseasesRachid Kacemi0Maria G. Campos1Observatory of Drug-Herb Interactions, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Heath Sciences Campus, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, PortugalObservatory of Drug-Herb Interactions, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Heath Sciences Campus, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, PortugalBee pollen is characterized by an exceptional diversity and abundance of micronutrients and bioactive phytochemicals. This richness remains very sparsely investigated, but accumulating evidence strongly supports a promising future for bee pollen in human nutrition and medicine. Epigenetic regulation is among the most compelling biomedical topics that remain completely untapped in bee pollen and bee derivative research. In our current research, we identified numerous ubiquitous compounds that are consistently present in this matrix, regardless of its botanical and geographical origins, and that have been well studied and documented as epigenetic regulators in recent years. Given the relative newness of both bee pollen biomedical research and epigenetic studies within nutritional, pharmaceutical, and medical sciences, this review aims to bridge these valuable fields and advance related experimental investigations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that has aimed to comprehensively investigate the epigenetic modulatory potential of bee pollen compounds. Our findings have also unveiled several intriguing phenomena, such as a dual effect of the same compound depending on the cellular context or the effect of some compounds on the cross-generational heritability of epigenetic traits. Although experimental studies of epigenetic regulation by bee pollen as a whole or by its extract are still lacking, our current study clearly indicates that this research avenue is very promising and worth further investigations. We hope that our current work constitutes a foundational cornerstone of future investigations for this avenue of research.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/3/347bee pollenepigenetic regulationpollen extracellular vesiclespolyphenolsnutrientsaging |
| spellingShingle | Rachid Kacemi Maria G. Campos Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases Foods bee pollen epigenetic regulation pollen extracellular vesicles polyphenols nutrients aging |
| title | Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases |
| title_full | Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases |
| title_fullStr | Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases |
| title_short | Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases |
| title_sort | bee pollen phytochemicals and nutrients as unequaled pool of epigenetic regulators implications for age related diseases |
| topic | bee pollen epigenetic regulation pollen extracellular vesicles polyphenols nutrients aging |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/3/347 |
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