Research Article Details

Article ID: A26443
PMID: 20460915
Source: Dig Dis
Title: Bile acids as regulators of hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism.
Abstract: Besides their well-established roles in dietary lipid absorption and cholesterol homeostasis, bile acids (BA) also act as metabolically active signaling molecules. The flux of reabsorbed BA undergoing enterohepatic circulation, arriving in the liver with the co-absorbed nutrients (e.g. glucose, lipids), provides a signal that coordinates hepatic triglyceride (TG), glucose and energy homeostasis. As signaling molecules with systemic endocrine functions, BA can activate protein kinases A and C as well as mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Additionally, they are ligands for a G-protein-coupled BA receptor (TGR5/Gpbar-1) and activate nuclear receptors such as farnesoid X receptor (FXR; NR1H4). FXR and its downstream targets play a key role in the control of hepatic de novo lipogenesis, very-low-density lipoprotein-TG export and plasma TG turnover. BA-activated FXR and signal transduction pathways are also involved in the regulation of hepatic gluconeogenesis, glycogen synthesis and insulin sensitivity. Via TGR5, BA are able to stimulate glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion in the small intestine and energy expenditure in brown adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Dysregulation of BA transport and impaired BA receptor signaling may contribute to the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Thus, BA transport and BA-controlled nuclear receptors and signaling pathways are promising drug targets for treatment of NAFLD. As such, FXR and/or TGR5 ligands have shown promising results in animal models of NAFLD and clinical pilot studies. Despite being a poor FXR and TGR5 ligand, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) improves hepatic ER stress and insulin sensitivity. Notably, norUDCA, a side chain-shortened homologue of UDCA, improves fatty liver and atherosclerosis in Western diet-fed ApoE(-/-) mice. Collectively, these findings suggest that BA and targeting their receptor/signaling pathways may represent a promising approach to treat NAFLD and closely linked disorders such as obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia and arteriosclerosis.
DOI: 10.1159/000282091

Strategy ID Therapy Strategy Synonyms Therapy Targets Therapy Drugs
S02 Enhance lipid metabolism triglyceride-lowering; lipid tolerance; lipid metabolism 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) inhibitor; Decreases intestinal cholesterol absorption; FXR agonist; ACC inhibitor; FAS inhibitor; DGAT2 inhibitor; SCD-1 inhibitor Atorvastatin; Ezetimibe; Obeticholic Acid; GS-9674; GS-0976; TVB-2640; IONIS-DGAT2rx; Aramchol; Details
S07 Anti-lipogenesis de novo lipogenesis; de novo lipogenesis; DNL; anti-lipogenic mechanisms; adipogenesis; anti-obesity stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD-1); Acetyl-coenzyme carboxylase; acyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitor (ACC inhibitor); stearoyl Coenzyme A desaturase inhibitor (SCD inhibitor); THR-beta selective agonist; DGAT2 inhibitor; FASN inhibitor Aramchol; Firsocostat (GS-0976); VK-2809; ION 224 Details

Target ID Target Name GENE Action Class UniProtKB ID Entry Name
T17 Farnesoid X-activated receptor NR1H4 agonist Nuclear hormone receptor Q96RI1 NR1H4_HUMAN Details
T10 Caspase-1 CASP1 inhibitor Enzyme P29466 CASP1_HUMAN Details
T07 Bile acid receptor NR1H4 agonist Nuclear hormone receptor Q96RI1 NR1H4_HUMAN Details

Diseases ID DO ID Disease Name Definition Class
I13 3146 Lipid metabolism disorder An inherited metabolic disorder that involves the creation and degradation of lipids. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipid_metabolism disease of metabolism/ inherited metabolic disorder Details
I14 9970 Obesity An overnutrition that is characterized by excess body fat, traditionally defined as an elevated ratio of weight to height (specifically 30 kilograms per meter squared), has_material_basis_in a multifactorial etiology related to excess nutrition intake, decreased caloric utilization, and genetic susceptibility, and possibly medications and certain disorders of metabolism, endocrine function, and mental illness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity disease of metabolism/acquired metabolic disease/ nutrition disease/overnutrition Details
I07 1936 Arteriosclerosis Build-up of fatty material and calcium deposition in the arterial wall resulting in partial or complete occlusion of the arterial lumen.https://ncit.nci.nih.gov/ncitbrowser/ConceptReport.jsp?dictionary=NCI_Thesaurus&ns=ncit&code=C35768 disease of anatomical entity/cardiovascular system disease/ vascular disease/ artery disease Details

Drug ID Drug Name Type DrugBank ID Targets Category Latest Progress
D155 Glucagon Biological drug DB00040 GCGR agonist Antidiabetic drug Under clinical trials Details
D381 Ursodeoxycholic acid Chemical drug DB01586 AKR1C2 inducer Anti-inflammatory Under clinical trials Details
D182 Insulin Biological drug DB00030 INSR agonist; CPE modulator&product of -- Under clinical trials Details