Spontaneous Gallstone Formation in Deer Mice: Interaction of Cholesterol, Bile Acids, and Dietary Fiber

Abstract

A study of the physiologic and ecologic factors involved in a spontaneous seasonal gallstone cycle of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus gambelii) was conducted at the Tulelake National Wildlife Refuge (California, USA) from March 1991 to June 1992. The specific hypothesis examined was whether or not seasonal increases in dietary fiber intake provides the necessary conditions for a solubility defect, or supersaturation mechanism, resulting in precipitation of cholesterol gallstones. Results indicated that in addition to the seasonal gallstone prevalence cycle, these deer mice exhibit significant seasonal cycling in serum cholesterol, serum bile acids, fecal bile acids, and diet composition. These physiologic and dietary cycles were phase-advanced 3 mo over the gallstone prevalence cycle, indicating an approximate 3 mo time period for gallstone formation under field conditions. Further, seasonal dietary fiber (plant material and seeds) was positively correlated with both serum cholesterol and the fecal bile acids. This suggests that in wild deer mice, variations in dietary fiber may significantly affect the resorption of bile acids, thereby providing a potential physiologic and nutritional mechanism for spontaneous cholesterol gallstone formation.

Pronounced variation in bile acid synthesis in humans is related to gender, hypertriglyceridaemia and circulating levels of fibroblast growth factor 19

“…Lower levels of BA synthesis and pool size in women may be of relevance for their higher propensity than men to develop cholesterol gallstones [12]. Of note, there is an opposite gender difference in BA synthesis in mice, with males having a lower BA pool size and production rate [26, 27] and an increased susceptibility to gallstone formation [28, 29].…”

Cholelithiasis in adult bearded dragons: retrospective study of nine adult bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) with cholelithiasis between 2013 and 2015 in southern Germany

“…Therefore, identifying the cholelith composition gives insights into its formation aetiology. Choleliths have been described in many species such as African elephant (Agnew et al., ), non‐human primate (Smith et al., ), deer mouse (Ginnett et al., ) and prairie dog (Brenneman et al., ), all with different cholelith compositions. In some cases, a nidus (or core) must be present for the formation of choleliths.…”

The Elephants of Zoba Gash Barka, Eritrea: Part 4. Cholelithiasis in a Wild African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana)

“…3 Studies conducted in wild deer mice have indicated that dietary fiber consumption varied seasonally, and these variations were correlated with cholelith formation. 7 Cholelith formation in elephants, particularly wild African elephants, may be more common than the literature suggests. Factors important in their development are not yet clearly defined, and their incidence may vary markedly with herd.…”