Microbiome-encoded bile acid metabolism modulates colonic transit times, 2021, Li et al

In mice.

Highlights

• Gut microbiome-generated bile acids regulate colonic transit via TGR5.
• Lithocholic acid had the largest colonic pro-motility effect.
• Bile acids exert sex-biased effects on gut transit times.
• Enteric nervous system transcriptional responses are regional and microbiome-specific.

Summary

Gut motility is regulated by the microbiome via mechanisms that include bile acid metabolism. To localize the effects of microbiome-generated bile acids, we colonized gnotobiotic mice with different synthetic gut bacterial communities that were metabolically phenotyped using a functional in vitro screen. Using two different marker-based assays of gut transit, we inferred that bile acids exert effects on colonic transit. We validated this using an intra-colonic bile acid infusion assay and determined that these effects were dependent upon signaling via the bile acid receptor, TGR5. The intra-colonic bile acid infusion experiments further revealed sex-biased bile acid-specific effects on colonic transit, with lithocholic acid having the largest pro-motility effect. Transcriptional responses of the enteric nervous system (ENS) were stereotypic, regional, and observed in response to different microbiota, their associated bile acid profiles, and even to a single diet ingredient, evidencing exquisite sensitivity of the ENS to environmental perturbations.

Open access, https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(21)00476-4

 

i will just eat three mice a day to get my digestive system on track . sorry could not resist . interesting paper though could be the basis for new drugs considering the ever increasing rates of digestive problems in modern societies .

 

Not to judge but I doubt that eating 3 mice per day makes for a healthy diet unless you're a cat.