New research conducted by researchers at the Life Sciences Center of Vilnius University has found that restricting specific nutrients can stave off ageing and prevent disease.
According to epigenetic specialists and study authors Dr Liepa Gasiulė and Dr Vaidotas Stankevičius, the next ten years of research will focus on how specific components of our diets — namely amino acids, fats and sugars — shape our health and overall lifespan.
Interestingly, their new study has found that targeting individual nutrients can show promise: “There is strong evidence that restricting certain nutrients can help prevent cancer, slow ageing and protect the cardiovascular and nervous systems."
"These findings are not only limited to lab settings but are also beginning to shape nutritional strategies,” Gasiulė adds.
The focus of their study centered around methionine, a key amino acid commonly found in protein-rich foods.
“Methionine is essential for the body's protein synthesis, tissue repair and inflammation control. However, excess intake can be harmful — contributing to cardiovascular issues, memory decline and slower muscle development," Dr Stankevičius warns.
The potential of methionine restriction first came to light when scientists observed a 30% increase in the lifespan of rats on a methionine-limited diet.
This effect was later confirmed in worms, fruit flies and mice, which was primarily observed through a reduction in oxidative stress.
Methionine levels vary across food groups. “Meat, fish, Brazil nuts and eggs are particularly rich in methionine, while fruits and vegetables contain very little. This variability has prompted efforts to develop a precise way to track dietary methionine. We need tools to calculate methionine intake more accurately, both for scientific research and potential clinical use," explains Dr Stankevičius.
However, the researchers caution against over-restriction, as some methionine intake is needed for normal growth and development.
Direct target for cancer treatment
SAM (S-Adenosyl-L-methionine), a molecule synthesised from methionine, plays a central role in DNA methylation; an epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression. “Without SAM, cells can’t perform proper methylation, which is critical for maintaining normal gene activity”, – says Dr Stankevičius.
According to Dr Gasiulė, DNA methylation ensures that cells ‘know’ their identity: “It helps embryonic cells become nerve cells or liver cells. But with age, methylation patterns deteriorate, and genes become misregulated.”
Cancer further disrupts this process. “Tumour cells silence important genes that would normally prevent uncontrolled growth, and activate genes that drive malignancy," says Dr Gasiulė. Because of this, methionine and its metabolic pathways are of intense interest in oncology."
According to Gasiulė, the more aggressive the cancer, the more it relies on external methionine to sustain rapid division. "By lowering methionine levels, we can potentially weaken cancer cells, especially in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Enzyme-
based therapies like methioninase, which breaks down methionine, are being investigated in clinical trials.”
New method detects epigenetic changes
Until recently, it was difficult to study how individual methyltransferases affect DNA. Researchers at VU’s LSC and the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences have developed a new technique to solve this problem.
The method uses electroporation to deliver custom molecules into cells, which tag DNA to record enzymatic activity. “It’s like leaving a fingerprint on the genome that tells us what each enzyme is doing," states Dr Gasiulė.
Most importantly, the new approach allows scientists to isolate the effects of DNMT1, one of the key ‘writers’ of the epigenetic code responsible for maintaining methylation patterns during cell division (see Figure 1). “This is the first method that lets us distinguish DNMT1 activity in such a precise and non-invasive way," notes Dr Stankevičius.
The researchers also used modified methionine analogues, which cross the cell membrane easily and are converted into a special form of SAM inside the cell: “This allows them to adjust DNA methylation by tweaking methionine levels in the cellular environment. By changing the external methionine concentration, we can see how it affects methylation inside cancer cells. The method opens up new opportunities to explore how dietary restriction and metabolism impact epigenetic regulation in disease.”
“This innovation lets us monitor changes not just in cell lines but in real tissues and potentially even whole organisms. It’s a leap forward for epigenetic research and cancer biology," concludes Dr Gasiulė.
