Microbial impact on cholesterol and bile acid metabolism: current status and future prospects

• Published in: Journal of lipid research Vol. 60; no. 2; pp. 323 - 332
• Main Authors: Kriaa, Aicha, Bourgin, Mélanie, Potiron, Aline, Mkaouar, Héla, Jablaoui, Amin, Gérard, Philippe, Maguin, Emmanuelle, Rhimi, Moez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.02.2019; American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Bile Acids and Salts - metabolism; Cholesterol - metabolism; Dysbiosis - metabolism; Dysbiosis - microbiology; Dyslipidemias - metabolism; Dyslipidemias - microbiology; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; gut microbiota; Humans; hypercholesterolemia; Life Sciences; metabolic diseases; Review; metabolic diseases; cholesterol metabolism; gut microbiota; hypercholesterolemia
• ISSN: 0022-2275; 1539-7262; 1539-7262
• DOI: 10.1194/jlr.R088989

Recently, the gut microbiota has emerged as a crucial factor that influences cholesterol metabolism. Ever since, significant interest has been shown in investigating these host-microbiome interactions to uncover microbiome-mediated functions on cholesterol and bile acid (BA) metabolism. Indeed, changes in gut microbiota composition and, hence, its derived metabolites have been previously reported to subsequently impact the metabolic processes and have been linked to several diseases. In this context, associations between a disrupted gut microbiome, impaired BA metabolism, and cholesterol dysregulation have been highlighted. Extensive advances in metagenomic and metabolomic studies in this field have allowed us to further our understanding of the role of intestinal bacteria in metabolic health and disease. However, only a few have provided mechanistic insights into their impact on cholesterol metabolism. Identifying the myriad functions and interactions of these bacteria to maintain cholesterol homeostasis remain an important challenge in such a field of research. In this review, we discuss the impact of gut microbiota on cholesterol metabolism, its association with disease settings, and the potential of modulating gut microbiota as a promising therapeutic target to lower hypercholesterolemia.