[extropy-chat] Nature VS Nurture and Cannabis Epigenetics and Global Eco/Dietary Epigenomics

[Extropian Agroforestry Ventures Inc.]

Q- is it generally agreed that cannabis is particularly responsive to
environmental cues to trigger phenotypic responses.  ex-
male/femal/hermaphroditics VS environmental and chemo stimulation,
phenotypic
size/shape VS region of growth.

Those of you with depth of experience with this pass this around.  Given
the state of science to do marvellous things lately and my interest in
both the plant and human
aspects of this is a relevant topic.

I know that genotypic up-regulation from  the gut is known to happen but
is  very poorly defined in reproducible science work.

Many good examples of genotypic upregulation by dietary influence are on
record.
Ex...........
3: Planta Med. 2003 Aug;69(8):725-32.
Gene expression changes in the human fibroblast induced by Centella
asiatica triterpenoids.

Coldren CD, Hashim P, Ali JM, Oh SK, Sinskey AJ, Rha C.

Malaysia-MIT Biotechnology Partnership Program, Cambridge, MA, USA.

The molecular pathways underlying the diverse biological activity of the
triterpeniod
compounds isolated from the tropical medicinal plant Centella asiatica
were studied with  gene microarrays and real-time reverse transcription
polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) to quantify the expression
of 1053 human genes in human fibroblasts.   Fibroblast cells grown in
culture were used as a model system to evaluate the  stimulation of
wound healing by titrated extract from Centella asiatica (TECA) as well
as by the four principal triterpenoid components of Centella. TECA
treatment effects the expression of genes involved in angiogenesis and
the remodeling of extracellular matrix, as well as diverse growth factor
genes. The extent of expression change of TNFAIP6, an extracellular
hyaluronan binding protein, was found to be largely dose-dependent, to
respond most strongly to the free acids asiatic acid and madecassic
acid, and to  increase in expression over 48 hours of treatment. These
results show that Centella triterpenes evoke a gene-expression response
consistent with their prevailing medical uses in the treatment of
connective tissue disorders such as wound healing and  microangiopathy.
The identification of genes modulated by these compounds provides the
basis for a molecular understanding of Centella's bioactivity, and
opportunities for the quantitative correlation of this activity with
clinical effectiveness at a molecular level.

                                              PMID: 14531023 [PubMed -
in process]

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Humans are now confronted by "proofs"  that  you are a carefully
balanced combination of genetics and modulation of gene expression by
the  diet and environment starting at the moment of conception or
possibly even  from your ancestors via the transmission of mitochondria
Wholus-bolus  and MHC genes piecemeal  for quite a number of past
generations.

This is fascinating stuff to me , considering my unique chemical
experimentation with nutritional and novel chemicals such as levamisole,
mega Vitamin E (10,000 units/day X 2 years) and DMSO myself between 1973
and the conception of our children in 1981, 84 and 87.

The world with 6+ billion has a massive number of unique
environmental/nutritional  clusters which might someday yield clues as
to how to live longer , healthier lives.
The globalization of diet (McDonald's at every streetcorner worldwide)
might be reducing our global bio-diversity epigenomic pool?

"Pharmer Mo"