Emerging roles of bile acids in chronic hepatitis,liver cirrhosis,and hepatocellular carcinoma

摘要

Bile acids(BAs)are cholesterol-derived molecules that are produced in the liver,secreted into the duodenum,absorbed by the small intestine and recycled back to the liver[1].BAs regulate cholesterol metabolism,promote bile secretion,and emulsify and facilitate the digestion and absorption of dietary fats;in addition,there is growing evidence that BAs also act as endocrine cell signaling mediators that activate nuclear or membrane-localized receptors to trigger specific signaling pathways and regulate various biological processes,including immunity[2,3].Findings from studies in patients and cell or mouse models support the notion that BAs are critical regulators of the development of liver diseases,including chronic hepatitis B(CHB)[4],liver cirrhosis(LC)[5],and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)[6].Here,we discuss the emerging roles of BAs in the progression of CHB,LC,and HCC.