Researchers have found that vitamin C is useful for enhancing gene activation. Why is this helpful to us? It can be applied to treating cancer or controlling vitro fertilization. This result was found by comparing mouse embryonic stem cells growing in many different mediums in accident. Then researchers began to find the mechanisms behind the result, and realized that vitamin C actually leads to the increased prevention of activation of an array of genes.
Methyl groups are added to DNA to turn down specific genes, and this process is called methylation. In early development of multicellular organisms, a class of enzymes called “Tet” is used to remove these brakes to activate the genes. Vitamin C can provide optimal activity to Tet so that gene activities can be more stimulated in early development.
In early stage of vitro fertilization, vitamin C is not available, so adding vitamin C can really increase the efficiency. On the other hand, cancer is caused by irregular DNA methylation, and vitamin C can also help removing these methylastions to prevent cancer. Also, many adults still have stem cells which can produce a great variety types of cells. Vitamin C can be used to keep these cells safe in order to use them in the future if some parts of body are repaired.
Currently, vitamin C supplementation has already been used in clinical trials. The benefit of vitamin C is most widely known as an antioxidant to prevent chemical damages, however, no other antioxidants can increase the activity of Tet as vitamin C does.
In summary, vitamin C can be used to control vitro fertilization and cancer by increasing the activity of Tet to stimulate gene activities. However, humans are not able to produce vitamin C on their own, so it must be obtained through diet.