Mechanism of taurocholic acid in promoting the progression of liver cirrhosis / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Bile acid is the main component of bile, and the external secretion of bile acid into the intestine can help with the absorption of lipids and fat-soluble vitamins; in addition, bile acid acts as a signal molecule to regulate bile acid metabolism and help maintain intestinal homeostasis. The process of liver cirrhosis is accompanied by varying degrees of cholestasis, causing bile duct injury, and exposure of liver cells to a high concentration of bile acid will accelerate the progression of liver cirrhosis and form a vicious circle. Among these abnormally elevated bile acids, taurocholic acid (TCA) shows the greatest increase, suggesting that TCA may play an important role in the process of liver cirrhosis. At present, there are relatively few studies on the mechanism of TCA in liver cirrhosis, and current studies in China and globally have shown that TCA at a high concentration (≥50 μmol/L) can promote the progression of liver cirrhosis by acting on liver cells (hepatic stellate cells, hepatocytes, hepatic progenitor cells, and bile duct epithelial cells). This article discusses the detailed mechanism of TCA in promoting liver cirrhosis and points out that TCA has the clinical potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target for liver cirrhosis.