Objective-Our objective was to investigate the role of bile acids in hepatic steatosis reduction after vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG).Design and Methods-High fat diet (HFD) induced obese C57Bl/6 mice were randomized to: VSG, Sham operation (Sham), Sham operation with pair feeding to VSG (Sham-PF), or nonsurgical controls (Naïve). All mice were on HFD until sacrifice. Mice were observed post-surgery and data for body weight, body composition, metabolic parameters, serum bile acid level and composition were collected. Further hepatic gene expression by RNAseq and RT-PCR analysis was assessed. HHS Public AccessAuthor manuscript Obesity (Silver Spring). Author manuscript; available in PMC 2014 August 01. Author Manuscript Author ManuscriptAuthor Manuscript Author ManuscriptResults-VSG and Sham-PF mice lost equal weight post-surgery while VSG mice had the lowest hepatic triglyceride content at sacrifice. The VSG mice had elevated serum bile acid levels that positively correlated with maximal weight loss. Serum bile composition in the VSG group had increased cholic and tauroursodeoxycholic acid. These bile acid composition changes in VSG mice explained observed downregulation of hepatic lipogenic and bile acid synthetic genes.Conclusion-VSG in obese mice results in greater hepatic steatosis reduction than seen with caloric restriction alone. VSG surgery increases serum bile acids that correlate with weight lost post-surgery and changes serum bile composition that could explain suppression of hepatic genes responsible for lipogenesis.

Surgical interposition of distal ileum into the proximal jejunum is a bariatric procedure that improves the metabolic syndrome. Changes in intestinal and hepatic physiology after ileal interposition (transposition) surgery (IIS) are not well understood. Our aim was to elucidate the adaptation of the interposed ileum, which we hypothesized, would lead to early bile acid reabsorption in the interposed ileum, thus short circuiting enterohepatic bile acid recycling to more proximal bowel segments. Rats with diet-induced obesity were randomized to IIS, with 10 cm of ileum repositioned distal to the duodenum, or sham surgery. A subgroup of sham rats was pair-fed to IIS rats. Physiological parameters were measured until 6 wk postsurgery. IIS rats ate less and lost more weight for the first 2 wk postsurgery. At study completion, body weights were not different, but IIS rats had reversed components of the metabolic syndrome. The interposed ileal segment adapted to a more jejunum-like villi length, mucosal surface area, and GATA4/ILBP mRNA. The interposed segment retained capacity for bile acid reabsorption and anorectic hormone secretion with the presence of ASBT and glucagon-like-peptide-1-positive cells in the villi. IIS rats had reduced primary bile acid levels in the proximal intestinal tract and higher primary bile acid levels in the serum, suggesting an early and efficient reabsorption of primary bile acids. IIS rats also had increased taurine and glycine-conjugated serum bile acids and reduced fecal bile acid loss. There was decreased hepatic Cyp27A1 mRNA with no changes in hepatic FXR, SHP, or NTCP expression. IIS protects against the metabolic syndrome through short-circuiting enterohepatic bile acid recycling. There is early reabsorption of primary bile acids despite selective "jejunization" of the interposed ileal segment. Changes in serum bile acids or bile acid enterohepatic recycling may mediate the metabolic benefits seen after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND & AIMS The final step in bile acid synthesis involves conjugation with glycine and taurine, which promotes a high intraluminal micellar concentration to facilitate lipid absorption. We investigated the clinical, biochemical, molecular, and morphologic features of a genetic defect in bile acid conjugation in 10 pediatric patients with fat-soluble vitamin deficiency, some with growth failure or transient neonatal cholestatic hepatitis. METHODS We identified the genetic defect that causes this disorder using mass spectrometry analysis of urine, bile, and serum samples, and sequence analysis of the genes encoding bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAAT) and bile acid-Co A ligase (SLC27A5). RESULTS Levels of urinary bile acids were increased (432±248 μmol/L) and predominantly excreted in unconjugated forms (79.4%±3.9%), and as sulfates and glucuronides. Glycine or taurine conjugates were absent in the urine, bile and serum. Unconjugated bile acids accounted for 95.7%±5.8% of the bile acids in duodenal bile, with cholic acid accounting for 82.4%±5.5% of total. Duodenal bile acid concentrations were 12.1±5.9 mmol/L—a concentration too low for efficient lipid absorption. The biochemical profile was consistent with defective bile acid amidation. Molecular analysis of BAAT confirmed 4 different homozygous mutations in 8 patients tested. CONCLUSIONS Based on a study of 10 pediatric patients, genetic defects that disrupt bile acid amidation cause fat-soluble vitamin deficiency and growth failure, indicating the importance of bile acid conjugation in lipid absorption. Some patients developed liver disease with features of a cholangiopathy. These findings indicate that patients with idiopathic neonatal cholestasis or later onset of unexplained fat-soluble vitamin deficiency should be screened for defects in bile acid conjugation.

The high bioavailability of both diastereoisomers contrasts with previous findings for the soy isoflavones daidzein and genistein, both of which have relatively poor bioavailability, and suggests that low doses of equol taken twice daily may be sufficient to achieve biological effects.