Effect of Nut Consumption on Human Gene Expression: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials
Wendling AL, Ribeiro MGC, Kravchychyn ACP, Hermsdorff HHM
Nutrition reviews · 0 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Systematic review (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Mechanisms only
- Intake measured by
- Not stated
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Government
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
- Government
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais
- Government
- Minas Gerais
- Government
- CNPq Research Productivity Fellow
- Government
- Ministry of Education
- Government
- National Council of Technological and Scientific Development-CNPq
- Government
- National Council of Technological and Scientific Development—CNPq
- Government
- Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
- Government
- Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Educational Personnel
- Government
- Fapemig
- Government
- National Council of Technological and Scientific Development
- Grants
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (404770/2021–5)
Based on 12 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2025-05-06 · Nutr Rev · vol. 83 · issue 7 · pp. 1198–1213
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Cited
- 3 citations · more than 61% of similar papers · 0.8× the field average
- References
- 92 works
- Access
- Paywalled
- Research areas
- Nuts composition and effects · Peanut Plant Research Studies · Coconut Research and Applications
- Keywords
- Cochrane Library, Context (archaeology), GPX1, Medicine, Brazil nut, Gene expression, Clinical trial, Randomized controlled trial, Proinflammatory cytokine, Glutathione peroxidase, Internal medicine, Bioinformatics, Biology, Gene, Food science, Inflammation, Genetics
- MeSH
- humans, corylus, bertholletia, nuts, inflammation, antioxidants, diet, gene expression, clinical trials as topic
4 authors
From BR
- Aline Lage WendlingUniversidade Federal de Viçosa; Brazilian National Association of Graduate Programs in Communication
- Madalena Geralda Cupertino RibeiroUniversidade Federal de Viçosa; Brazilian National Association of Graduate Programs in Communication
- Ana Claudia Pelissari KravchychynUniversidade Federal de Viçosa; Brazilian National Association of Graduate Programs in Communication
- Helen Hermana Miranda Hermsdorff · correspondingUniversidade Federal de Viçosa; Brazilian National Association of Graduate Programs in Communication
Abstract
Context
The consumption of nuts has beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, body composition, cognitive functions, the intestinal microbiota, and satiety control, but how nuts and their nutrients impact related gene expression is unclear.
Objective
We analyzed the effects of nut consumption on human gene expression as investigated in controlled clinical trials.
Data sources
This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. The databases used in the search were MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library.
Data extraction
Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials conducted to date that evaluated the effect of nut consumption on the mRNA expression of human genes were evaluated according to eligible criteria. Two authors screened and determined the quality of the studies; disagreements were resolved by the third author between May and June 2024. All authors were involved in analyzing the compiled data.
Data analysis
We selected 13 original articles. Most studies evaluated the effects of Brazil nuts, followed by studies using combinations of two or more nuts, with an interventional duration of six weeks to one year. The consumption of hazelnuts and Brazil nuts increased expression in antioxidant-related genes, while beneficial regulation of proinflammatory pathways (tumor necrosis factor - TNF, interleukin-6 - IL-6, and toll-like receptors 2 and 4 - TLR2 and TLR4) was reported after consumption of Brazil nuts. Genes involved in vascular inflammation (eg, ciclooxygenase-2 - COX-2) were downregulated after the consumption of mixed nuts, and the expression of selenoprotein - SELENOP and glutathione peroxidase 1 - GPX1 were regulated according to the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms after the consumption of Brazil nuts. Finally, pistachio consumption reduced telomere oxidation (telomerase reverse transcriptase - TERT and WD repeat containing antisense to TP53 - WRAP53) and downregulated resistin and IL-6 genes.
Conclusion
The consumption of nuts has beneficial effects on human health, modulating gene expression involved in the progression of chronic diseases, with emphasis on the pathways of inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular health.
Systematic review registration
PROSPERO registration No. CRD42024505199.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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