Metabolism Meets Epigenetics: β-Hydroxybutyrate-Driven Lysine β-Hydroxybutyrylation Bridging Energy Metabolism With Transcription and Protein Functional Remodeling.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of mechanistic pathways without new empirical human data
PubMed 41418322 · doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuaf258
What was done
This narrative review synthesized literature on beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) metabolism and its epigenetic role via lysine beta-hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb). The authors summarized how dietary factors (medium-chain fatty acids, fasting, ketogenic diets, exercise, and exogenous ketones) induce BHB, and described the enzymatic writers (p300/CBP) and erasers (HDACs and sirtuins) that dynamically regulate Kbhb on histone and non-histone substrates.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data. Mechanistically, BHB functions beyond energy provision to regulate chromatin accessibility, gene expression, and cellular metabolism through Kbhb, contributing to metabolic regulation, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative responses, immune modulation, and neuroprotection.
Why it matters
This work outlines how cellular nutritional state directly drives post-translational and epigenetic reprogramming. Clarifying Kbhb mechanics identifies potential therapeutic avenues for metabolic and inflammatory diseases.
Limits
As a narrative review, it presents no original empirical or quantitative human data. The abstract notes that precise regulatory mechanisms of Kbhb remain incompletely understood, and search criteria or study quality evaluations are not reported.
Cited by
- supports Beta-hydroxybutyrate induces epigenetic modifications via histone deacetylase inhibition and histone beta-hydroxybutyrylation.