Advances in research on the effects of bile acids and their receptors on intestinal function.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing molecular mechanisms without primary human data or systematic review methodology.
PubMed 42095223 · doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1821418
What was done
This narrative review synthesized literature on the molecular mechanisms of bile acid (BA) signaling in the gut. It reviewed BA interactions with nuclear and membrane receptors (FXR, TGR5, PXR, PPARα, VDR, MRGPRX4), the enzymatic reprogramming of the BA pool by the gut microbiome, and their roles in intestinal homeostasis and gastrointestinal pathophysiology.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative results, sample sizes, or effect estimates. It qualitatively describes how microbial BA modifications (e.g., deconjugation, dehydroxylation, oxidation) generate metabolites that modulate host barrier integrity, immune tolerance, and motility, noting that pathway dysregulation is linked to inflammatory bowel disease, bile acid malabsorption, diarrhea-predominant IBS, and colorectal cancer.
Why it matters
It organizes the complex bidirectional feedback between the gut microbiome and host bile acid receptors, identifying emerging therapeutic targets including novel receptor modulators, microbiome interventions, and bile acid sequestrants.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review without original data or a systematic literature search methodology. It provides no quantitative synthesis, comparative clinical data, or evaluation of underlying study quality.