Hepatic Bile Acid Reuptake in the Rat Depends on Bile Acid Conjugation but Not on Agonistic Properties towards FXR and TGR5

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and Takeda G-protein coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) are the two known bile acid (BA) sensitive receptors and are expressed in the intestine and liver as well as in extra-enterohepatic tissues. The physiological effects of extra-enterohepatic FXR/TRG5 remain unclear. Further, the extent BAs escape liver reabsorption and how they interact with extra-enterohepatic FXR/TGR5 is understudied. We investigated if hepatic BA reuptake differed between BAs agonistic for FXR and TGR5 compared to non-agonists in the rat. Blood was collected from the portal vein and inferior caval vein from anesthetized rats before and 5, 20, 30, and 40 min post stimulation with sulfated cholecystokinin-8. Plasma concentrations of 20 different BAs were assessed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Total portal vein BA AUC was 3–4 times greater than in the vena cava inferior (2.7 ± 0.6 vs. 0.7 ± 0.2 mM x min, p < 0.01, n = 8) with total unconjugated BAs being 2–3-fold higher than total conjugated BAs (AUC 8–10 higher p < 0.05 for both). However, in both cases, absolute ratios varied greatly among different BAs. The average hepatic reuptake of BAs agonistic for FXR/TGR5 was similar to non-agonists. However, as the sum of non-agonist BAs in vena portae was 2–3-fold higher than the sum agonist (p < 0.05), the peripheral BA pool was composed mostly of non-agonist BAs. We conclude that hepatic BA reuptake varies substantially by type and does not favor FXR/TGR5 BAs agonists.