New discoveries in bile acids, gut microbiota and host interactions in health and diseases

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, basic research has robustly demonstrated the regulatory role of bile acids in physiological processes, primarily by the discovery and the study of their specific receptors and the understanding of the pathways they modulate. The dysregulation of the bile acid pool and the perturbation of bile acid signaling have been implicated in the pathophysiology of various clinical conditions, including cardiometabolic, cholestatic and inflammatory diseases. Consequently, bile acids have emerged as promising therapeutic targets, with compounds to modulate bile acid metabolism and signaling being actively investigated in pre-clinical and clinical settings. Despite these advancements, much remains to be understood before bile acid metabolism and bile acid-regulated pathways can be effectively manipulated for health protection. As a step forward in this direction, Clinical Science has curated a themed collection on the new discoveries in bile acids, gut microbiota and host interactions in health and diseases. This collection emphasizes mechanistic research papers, connecting basic science to disease mechanisms, aiming to enhance the understanding of the role of bile acids in physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

Keywords: enterohepatic cycle; metabolic disorders; microbiome; non alcoholic fatty liver disease.