This study was undertaken to characterize bile acid metabolism in hereditary forms of hypertriglyceridemia. Ten hypertriglyceridemic patients (type IV phenotype) with familial combined hyperlipidemia and 7 patients with monogenic familial hypertriglyceridemia (FHTG) were compared with 18 healthy controls; all subjects were males. Pool size, synthesis rate, and fractional catabolic rate of choli...

Bile acid metabolism of the human fetus was examined in early gestation (weeks 13-19) and compared with the full-term fetus from the analysis of amniotic fluid collected from healthy pregnant women. Total individual bile acids were determined by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry after solvolysis and hydrolysis of bile acid conjugates. Additionally, bile acids were separated according ...

The classical functions of bile acids include acting as detergents to facilitate the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the gut. In addition, bile acids also act as signaling molecules to regulate glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism and energy expenditure. The signaling potential of bile acids in compartments such as the systemic circulation is regulated in part by an efficient enterohe...

Bile acids function not only as detergents that facilitate lipid absorption but also as signaling molecules that activate the nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR). FXR agonists are currently being evaluated as therapeutic agents for a number of hepatic diseases due to their lipid-lowering and antiinflammatory properties. FXR is also essential for maintaining bile acid homeostasis and pre...

Plasma lipids, endogenous triglyceride kinetics, and biliary lipid composition were determined in 13 patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) before and during treatment with cholic acid (15 mg/kg body weight/day for 3 months). In patients with type IIa HLP (n = 5), no consistent effects were seen on fasting plasma lipids or triglyceride turnover determined over a 10-hour period. Plasma...

Bile acids derived from cholesterol and oxysterols derived from cholesterol and bile acid synthesis pathways are signaling molecules that regulate cholesterol homeostasis in mammals. Many nuclear receptors play pivotal roles in the regulation of bile acid and cholesterol metabolism. Bile acids activate the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) to inhibit transcription of the gene for cholesterol 7alpha-hy...

Nuclear receptors are ligand-dependent transcription factors that recently have been shown to play important roles in the metabolism of cholesterol and bile acids. Cholesterol homeostasis is maintained by de novo synthesis, absorption from diet, catabolism to bile acids and other steroids, and excretion into bile. Dysregulation of this mechanism leads to atherosclerosis and its life-threatening...

Bile acid-binding resins, such as cholestyramine and colestimide, have been clinically used as cholesterol-lowering agents. These agents bind bile acids in the intestine and reduce enterohepatic circulation of bile acids, leading to accelerated conversion of cholesterol to bile acids. A significant improvement in glycemic control was reported in patients with type 2 diabetes whose hyperlipidemi...

Class I alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH1s) are the rate-limiting enzymes for ethanol and vitamin A (retinol) metabolism in the liver. Because previous studies have shown that human ADH1 enzymes may participate in bile acid metabolism, we investigated whether the bile acid-activated nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) regulates ADH1 genes. In human hepatocytes, both the endogenous FXR ligand...