Neuro-humoral signalling by bile acids and the TGR5 receptor in the gastrointestinal tract.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing mechanistic and physiological pathways without systematic methodology or primary human data
PubMed 24614746 · doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2014.271155
What was done
Narrative review synthesizing literature on the role of bile acids as signaling molecules and the G protein-coupled receptor TGR5 in gastrointestinal function, intracellular cascades, and disease pathology.
What was found
No quantitative data or effect estimates are reported in the abstract. TGR5 is described as coupling to Gαs, promoting cAMP generation, activating protein kinase A and extracellular signal-regulated kinases, and suppressing inflammatory signaling pathways. Through these pathways, TGR5 modulates glucagon-like peptide 1 secretion, glucose homeostasis, gastrointestinal motility, fluid and electrolyte transport in the colon, bile secretion, and sensory transduction.
Why it matters
The paper summarizes the mechanistic basis by which TGR5 coordinates non-genomic bile acid signaling, highlighting its potential utility as a therapeutic drug target for digestive, inflammatory, and metabolic disorders.
Limits
As a narrative review, it presents no primary clinical or experimental dataset, no quantitative effect sizes, and no formal systematic literature search strategy. Clinical translation and safety of TGR5 agonists are not evaluated.
Cited by
- context Bile acts to lubricate the colon to maintain normal bowel transit.