Epigenetic mechanisms of non-polyphenolic food components influence on the development of atherosclerosis

The development of atherosclerosis is influenced by dietary intake, with polyphenols being the most extensively studied nutrients in this context. Nevertheless, several compounds that do not fall into the polyphenol category have been identified as possessing anti-atherogenic epigenetic properties. Objective. This review aims to elucidate the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms by which dietary components influence atherosclerosis development. Materials and methods. A comprehensive literature search was performed utilizing the Elibrary, Scopus, and PubMed databases covering the period from 2003 to 2025, employing the following keywords: «atherosclerosis», «food», «diet», «sulforaphane», «lycopene», «diallyl sulfide», «omega-3», «omega-6», «dietary fiber», «meat», «acrylamide», «trans fatty acids», «epigenetics», and «miRNA». Results. Findings indicate that compounds such as sulforaphane, lycopene, diallyl sulfide, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as soluble and insoluble dietary fibers present in plant products, modify the expression of specific microRNAs and enzymes responsible for DNA and histone modifications. The review also describes the epigenetic effects of atherogenic foods, including red meat, trans fatty acids, acrylamide generated during frying, and saturated fatty acids. Conclusion. The nutritional components discussed in this review offer promising avenues for dietary therapy recommendations and for advancing new methodologies to investigate epigenetic effects on atherosclerosis. However, it is essential to conduct further experimental and clinical studies to validate the effects of specific nutrient components on the mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis development and to formulate guidelines for their use.