Dissecting Molecular Mechanisms in Bile Acid Diarrhea

Michael Camilleri MD¹

Abstract

Abstract: It was previously demonstrated that patients with bile acid (BA) diarrhea have low fasting serum levels of the ileal hormone—fibroblast growth factor-19 (FGF-19). In this paper, the authors demonstrate a positive correlation between ileal transcripts of FGF-19 and⁷⁵SeHCAT retention, providing further evidence of FGF-19 deficiency as an explanation for BA diarrhea. Variants inKLBandFGFR4genes (that determine the functional re-uptake of BA in the portal circulation by hepatocytes) are also demonstrated to be associated with⁷⁵SeHCAT retention, confirming a second potential mechanism for the development of BA diarrhea.

Am J Gastroenterol2016; 111:433–435; doi:10.1038/ajg.2016.23