Association between bile acid metabolism and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have not shown any correlation between bile acid metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Thus, the current study evaluated the association between bile acid levels as well as BMD and bone turnover marker levels in this group of women. METHODS: This single-center cross-sectional study included 150 postmenopausal Chinese women. According to BMD, the participants were divided into three groups: osteoporosis group, osteopenia group, and healthy control group. Serum bile acid, fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), and bone turnover biomarker levels were assessed. Moreover, the concentrations of parathyroid hormone, 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D], procollagen type I N-peptide (P1NP), and beta-CrossLaps of type I collagen containing cross-linked C-terminal telopeptide (b-CTX) were evaluated. The BMD of the lumbar spine and proximal femur were examined via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The serum total bile acid levels in the osteoporosis and osteopenia groups (5.28 ± 1.56 and 5.31 ± 1.56 umol/L, respectively) were significantly lower than that in the healthy control group (6.33±2.04 umol/L; p=0.002 and 0.018, respectively). Serum bile acid level was positively associated with the BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip. However, it negatively correlated with b-CTX concentration. Moreover, no correlation was observed between bile acid and P1NP levels, and the levels of the other biomarkers that were measured did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Serum bile acid was positively correlated with BMD and negatively correlated with bone turnover biomarkers reflecting bone absorption in postmenopausal women. Thus, bile acid may play an important role in bone metabolism.

Effects of Icariin on Modulating Gut Microbiota and Regulating Metabolite Alterations to Prevent Bone Loss in Ovariectomized Rat Model

“…Besides the modulation towards GM, different treatments also resulted in a considerable change of the fecal metabolites ( Supplementary Table S1 ). Bile acid is an important compound which has been reported to have vital roles in bone metabolism ( 48 , 49 ). The primary bile acid (e.g., cholic acid) is synthesized in liver and modified to secondary products such as lithocholic acid, deoxycholic acid and their conjugated species in gut by microbes, finally enters portal veins ( 50 ).…”

The Impact of Bariatric Surgery on Bone Health: State of the Art and New Recognized Links

“…Bile acids Insufficient data. Positively correlated with BMD and negatively correlated with bone turnover biomarkers reflecting bone absorption in postmenopausal women [140].…”

“…Accumulating evidence has shown that levels of total fasting and postprandial plasma BA increase after SG and RYGB and it is thought that these changes contribute to improved lipid and glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, and energy expenditure after BS [139]. BA also seem to have a metabolic effect on bone, with a study in postmenopausal women revealing that total serum BA was positively correlated with BMD, and negatively correlated with bone turnover biomarkers of bone resorption [140]. In addition, studies in mice found that the activation of the FXR BA receptor significantly promoted osteoblastic differentiation and that FXR agonists suppressed osteoclast differentiation from bone marrow macrophages.…”

“Osteomicrobiology”: The Nexus Between Bone and Bugs

“…On the other hand, treatment with lithocholic acid has been reported to decrease arthritis score in collagen II-induced arthritis mouse model along with suppressing inflammatory responses in RA patients ( Li Z. et al, 2019 ). Zhao et al reported that bile acids are positively correlated with BMD as osteoporotic and osteopenic post-menopausal women have significantly reduced levels of bile acids than healthy controls ( Zhao et al, 2020 ). It is observed that bile acids induce differentiation of osteoblasts via stimulation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR).…”