Bile Acids in the Small Intestine and Colon, Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Therapeutic Opportunities (Cosponsored by AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology)
Symposium — Wednesday, April 25, 2024 — 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM — Convention Center, Room 25A
GI and Liver Physiology Section — Chair: Stephen J Keely — Co-Chair: Natalia K Lajczak
Synthesized in the liver and classically known for their roles in lipid digestion and absorption, bile acids are now widely appreciated as a family of hormones that regulate many important aspects of human physiology. In the intestine, bile acids regulate epithelial transport and barrier function, proliferation, apoptosis, and mucosal immunity and are involved in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal cancer. Beyond the gut bile acids also have important roles to play in glucose and fat metabolism, energy consumption, and cardiovascular health, and consequently are implicated the development of common metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis. When considering how bile acids impact on human health it is essential to take into account the influence of the bacterial populations living within our gut on their activity. The makeup of the microbiota is influenced by many factors, including diet, gender, environment, and age, such that each individual has a distinct “microbial fingerprint” that significantly impacts their overall health and well-being. The microbiota and host are in constant communication with each other, with bacterially-generated bile acid metabolites being immensely important in this dialogue. Distinct microbial profiles generate unique “bile acid signatures” that, in turn, differentially modulate the activity of bile acid receptors on epithelial, neural and mucosal immune cells to regulate intestinal and metabolic function. Perturbations in the interactions between microbes and bile acids contribute to the pathogenesis of intestinal and metabolic diseases, with such interactions providing excellent targets for the development of new therapeutic interventions. This symposium brings together several world-leading experts to overview this exciting and rapidly evolving field of study. Their research has made outstanding contributions to our understanding of how bile acids function as key regulators of human health and how we can possibly target such interactions in the treatment of intestinal and metabolic diseases.
Speakers
- The evolution of bile acids as therapeutic agents.
Alan F Hofmann — Medicine, University of California, San Diego
- Protective actions of secondary bile acids in colonic epithelium.
Natalia K Lajczak — Molecular Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
- Gut feelings: systemic reach of intestinal FXR.
Ron M Evans — Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- Bile acids and colon cancer: Is FXR the solution of the conundrum?
Raffaella M Gadaleta — System Toxicology, PMI Science
- CHAIR
Stephen Keely —
- COCHAIR
Natalia Lajczak —
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