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  • Metabolic Messengers
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Metabolic Messengers: bile acids

Nature Metabolism volume 4, pages 416–423 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

Bile acids (BAs) are amphipathic steroid acids whose production and diversity depend on both host and microbial metabolism. These metabolites have emerged as biologically active signalling molecules that inform organs of nutrient availability. Their actions, through activation of the dedicated BA receptors FXR and TGR5, control the body’s integrated physiological metabolic responses. Alterations in BA abundance or signalling are associated with metabolic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and atherosclerosis. Consequently, modulation of the BA pool could be a valid therapeutic approach, as demonstrated in preclinical and clinical models. Here we provide a historical summary of the discovery of BAs and their receptors, as well as a summary on the role of BA signalling in the control of energy homeostasis.

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Fig. 1: Timeline of major discoveries in the BA field.
Fig. 2: Target tissues and biological activity of BAs.
Fig. 3: BA signalling controls whole-body energy homeostasis through direct and indirect mechanisms.

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Acknowledgements

The authors were supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF No. 310030_189178 and CRSII5_180317/1), the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation, the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) (to K.S.), CAIXA (No. HR17-00601) (to K.S.) and a postdoctoral fellowship from AXA Research Fund (to A.P.).

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  1. Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Alessia Perino & Kristina Schoonjans

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  1. Alessia Perino
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A.P. and K.S. wrote the article.

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Correspondence to Kristina Schoonjans.

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Perino, A., Schoonjans, K. Metabolic Messengers: bile acids. Nat Metab 4, 416–423 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-022-00559-z

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