The liver and intestine play crucial roles in maintaining bile acid homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate that fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) signals from intestine to liver to repress the gene encoding cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), which catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in the classical bile acid synthetic pathway. FGF15 expression is stimulated in the small intestine by the nuclear bile acid receptor FXR and represses Cyp7a1 in liver through a mechanism that involves FGF receptor 4 (FGFR4) and the orphan nuclear receptor SHP. Mice lacking FGF15 have increased hepatic CYP7A1 mRNA and protein levels and corresponding increases in CYP7A1 enzyme activity and fecal bile acid excretion. These studies define FGF15 and FGFR4 as components of a gut-liver signaling pathway that synergizes with SHP to regulate bile acid synthesis.

Obstruction of bile flow results in bacterial proliferation and mucosal injury in the small intestine that can lead to the translocation of bacteria across the epithelial barrier and systemic infection. These adverse effects of biliary obstruction can be inhibited by administration of bile acids. Here we show that the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a nuclear receptor for bile acids, induces genes involved in enteroprotection and inhibits bacterial overgrowth and mucosal injury in ileum caused by bile duct ligation. Mice lacking FXR have increased ileal levels of bacteria and a compromised epithelial barrier. These findings reveal a central role for FXR in protecting the distal small intestine from bacterial invasion and suggest that FXR agonists may prevent epithelial deterioration and bacterial translocation in patients with impaired bile flow.bacteria ͉ biliary obstruction ͉ epithelial barrier ͉ ileum

We explored the effects of bile acids on triglyceride (TG) homeostasis using a combination of molecular, cellular, and animal models. Cholic acid (CA) prevents hepatic TG accumulation, VLDL secretion, and elevated serum TG in mouse models of hypertriglyceridemia. At the molecular level, CA decreases hepatic expression of SREBP-1c and its lipogenic target genes. Through the use of mouse mutants for the short heterodimer partner (SHP) and liver X receptor (LXR) α and β, we demonstrate the critical dependence of the reduction of SREBP-1c expression by either natural or synthetic farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists on both SHP and LXRα and LXRβ. These results suggest that strategies aimed at increasing FXR activity and the repressive effects of SHP should be explored to correct hypertriglyceridemia. 1408The Nonstandard abbreviations used: acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC); acetyl-CoA synthetase (AceCS); angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3); carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I); chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA); cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1); cholic acid (CA); farnesoid X receptor (FXR); fatty acid synthase (FAS); LDL receptor (LDL-R); liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1); liver receptor homolog-1 response element (LRH-1RE); liver X receptor (LXR); liver X receptor response element (LXRRE); long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD); malic enzyme (ME); medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD); retinoid X receptor (RXR); short heterodimer partner (SHP); stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1); triglyceride (TG). Conflict of interest:The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists. Plasmids. pCMX-SHP was obtained by insertion of a PCR product corresponding to the mouse SHP cDNA into the pCMX vector. pCMX-liver receptor homolog-1 (pCMX-LRH-1) was produced by insertion of a PCR product corresponding to the mouse LRH-1 cDNA into pCMX. The pCMX-LXRα expression vector was as described (10); the pSG5-retinoid X receptor α (pSG5-RXRα) expression vector was a gift of P. Chambon (Institut Clinique de la Souris, Illkirch, France). The SREBP-1c promoter luciferase reporter plasmids were generated by PCR amplification of promoter fragments corresponding to sequences located between -1070 to -51 of the mouse SREBP-1c gene. The PCR product was ligated into the pGL3 basic vector (Promega, Madison, Wisconsin, USA). The reverse primer used for each promoter construct is 5′-CTTCCGCGCCGATTTCACCTG-3′. The different forward primers used for each construct are as follows: pSREBP-1c1070-Luc (5′-ACCCCTCAGACTGTGTGAGT-3′), pSREBP-1c571-Luc (5′-CTA GCTAGATGACCCTGCACCACCAA-3′), pSREBP-1c327-Luc (5′-TTGCCTGTGCGGCAGGGGTTGGGACGA-3′), pSREBP1c276-Luc (5′-CGCGCTGGCGCAGACGCGGTTAAA-3′), and pSREBP-1c151-Luc (5′-CTGCTGATTGGCCATGTGCGCTCA-3′). The primers were tailed with either a KpnI site (forward) or a BglII site (reverse). The LXR response elements in pSREBP-1c324-Luc were mutated for promoter analysis using the Quick Change SiteDirected Mutagenesis Kit (Stratagene, La Jolla, California, USA). All constructs were verified by sequence analysis.Ani...

FXR activation prevents chemically induced intestinal inflammation, with improvement of colitis symptoms, inhibition of epithelial permeability, and reduced goblet cell loss. Furthermore, FXR activation inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production in vivo in the mouse colonic mucosa, and ex vivo in different immune cell populations. The findings provide a rationale to explore FXR agonists as a novel therapeutic strategy for IBD.

No abstract

We explored the effects of bile acids on triglyceride (TG) homeostasis using a combination of molecular, cellular, and animal models. Cholic acid (CA) prevents hepatic TG accumulation, VLDL secretion, and elevated serum TG in mouse models of hypertriglyceridemia. At the molecular level, CA decreases hepatic expression of SREBP-1c and its lipogenic target genes. Through the use of mouse mutants for the short heterodimer partner (SHP) and liver X receptor (LXR) α and β, we demonstrate the critical dependence of the reduction of SREBP-1c expression by either natural or synthetic farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists on both SHP and LXRα and LXRβ. These results suggest that strategies aimed at increasing FXR activity and the repressive effects of SHP should be explored to correct hypertriglyceridemia. 1408The Nonstandard abbreviations used: acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC); acetyl-CoA synthetase (AceCS); angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3); carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I); chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA); cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1); cholic acid (CA); farnesoid X receptor (FXR); fatty acid synthase (FAS); LDL receptor (LDL-R); liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1); liver receptor homolog-1 response element (LRH-1RE); liver X receptor (LXR); liver X receptor response element (LXRRE); long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD); malic enzyme (ME); medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD); retinoid X receptor (RXR); short heterodimer partner (SHP); stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1); triglyceride (TG). Conflict of interest:The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists. Plasmids. pCMX-SHP was obtained by insertion of a PCR product corresponding to the mouse SHP cDNA into the pCMX vector. pCMX-liver receptor homolog-1 (pCMX-LRH-1) was produced by insertion of a PCR product corresponding to the mouse LRH-1 cDNA into pCMX. The pCMX-LXRα expression vector was as described (10); the pSG5-retinoid X receptor α (pSG5-RXRα) expression vector was a gift of P. Chambon (Institut Clinique de la Souris, Illkirch, France). The SREBP-1c promoter luciferase reporter plasmids were generated by PCR amplification of promoter fragments corresponding to sequences located between -1070 to -51 of the mouse SREBP-1c gene. The PCR product was ligated into the pGL3 basic vector (Promega, Madison, Wisconsin, USA). The reverse primer used for each promoter construct is 5′-CTTCCGCGCCGATTTCACCTG-3′. The different forward primers used for each construct are as follows: pSREBP-1c1070-Luc (5′-ACCCCTCAGACTGTGTGAGT-3′), pSREBP-1c571-Luc (5′-CTA GCTAGATGACCCTGCACCACCAA-3′), pSREBP-1c327-Luc (5′-TTGCCTGTGCGGCAGGGGTTGGGACGA-3′), pSREBP1c276-Luc (5′-CGCGCTGGCGCAGACGCGGTTAAA-3′), and pSREBP-1c151-Luc (5′-CTGCTGATTGGCCATGTGCGCTCA-3′). The primers were tailed with either a KpnI site (forward) or a BglII site (reverse). The LXR response elements in pSREBP-1c324-Luc were mutated for promoter analysis using the Quick Change SiteDirected Mutagenesis Kit (Stratagene, La Jolla, California, USA). All constructs were verified by sequence analysis.Ani...

The nuclear receptor REV-ERBα shapes the daily activity profile of Sterol Response Element Binding Protein (SREBP) and thereby participates in the circadian control of cholesterol and bile acid synthesis in the liver.

The endocrine fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), FGF19, FGF21 and FGF23, are critical for maintaining whole-body homeostasis, with roles in bile acid, glucose and lipid metabolism, modulation of vitamin D and phosphate homeostasis and metabolic adaptation during fasting. Given these functions, the endocrine FGFs have therapeutic potential in a wide array of chronic human diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and kidney and cardiovascular disease. However, the safety and feasibility of chronic endocrine FGF administration has been challenged, and FGF analogues and mimetics are now being investigated. Here, we discuss current knowledge of the complex biology of the endocrine FGFs and assess how this may be harnessed therapeutically.