Bile Acid Signaling in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic, idiopathic and complex condition, which most often manifests itself in the form of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Both forms are associated with dysregulation of the mucosal immune system, compromised intestinal epithelial barrier, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiome. It has been observed for a long time that bile acids are involved in inflammatory disorders, and recent studies show their significant physiological role, reaching far beyond being emulsifiers helping in digestion of lipids. Bile acids are also signaling molecules, which act, among other things, on lipid metabolism and immune responses, through several nuclear and membrane receptors in hepatocytes, enterocytes and cells of the immune system. Gut microbiota homeostasis also seems to be affected, directly and indirectly, by bile acid metabolism and signaling. This review summarizes recent advances in the field of bile acid signaling, studies of inflamed gut microbiome, and the therapeutic potential of bile acids in the context of inflammatory bowel disease.