A team around Dr Hailin WANG at the CAS Research Center for Eco-Environmental Studies reports that ascorbic acid significantly enhances DNA hydroxylases Tet1 and Tet2 which are involved in hydroxymethylation and subsequent demethylation of 5-methyl cytosine. The effect was also observed in vivo using mouse embryonic stem cells. Thus, vitamin C may play a role in epigenetic modifications.
Ruichuan YIN et al., JACS June 14, 2013 DOI: 10.1021/ja4028346