Biotransformation of chenodeoxycholic acid by human intestinal fungi and the agonistic effects on FXR.

Bile acids play a vital role in modulating host metabolism, with chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) standing out as a primary bile acid that naturally activates farnesoid X receptor (FXR). In this study, we investigated the microbial transformations of CDCA by seven human intestinal fungal species. Our findings revealed that hydroxylation and dehydrogenation were the most prevalent metabolic pathways. Incubation of CDCA with Rhizopus microspores (PT2906) afforded eight undescribed compounds (6-13) alongside five known analogs (1-5) which were elucidated by HRESI-MS and NMR data. Notably, compounds 8, 12 and 13 exhibited an inhibitory effect on FXR in contrast to the FXR activation observed with CDCA in vitro assays. This study shone a light on the diverse transformations of CDCA by intestinal fungi, unveiling potential modulators of FXR activity with implications for host metabolism.

Synthesis of Novel C/D Ring Modified Bile Acids.

Bile acid receptors have been identified as important targets for the development of new therapeutics to treat various metabolic and inflammatory diseases. The synthesis of new bile acid analogues can help elucidate structure-activity relationships and define compounds that activate these receptors selectively. Towards this, access to large quantities of a chenodeoxycholic acid derivative bearing a C-12 methyl and a C-13 to C-14 double bond provided an interesting scaffold to investigate the chemical manipulation of the C/D ring junction in bile acids. The reactivity of this alkene substrate with various zinc carbenoid species showed that those generated using the Furukawa methodology achieved selective α-cyclopropanation, whereas those generated using the Shi methodology reacted in an unexpected manner giving rise to a rearranged skeleton whereby the C ring has undergone contraction to form a novel spiro-furan ring system. Further derivatization of the cyclopropanated steroid included O-7 oxidation and epimerization to afford new bile acid derivatives for biological evaluation.

Discovery of new and highly effective quadruple FFA1 and PPARα/γ/δ agonists as potential anti-fatty liver agents.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common hepatic disease, while no drug was approved until now. The previous study reported that the quadruple FFA1/PPAR-α/γ/δ agonist RLA8 provided better efficacy than obeticholic acid on NASH. In the present study, two design strategies were introduced to explore better quadruple FFA1/PPAR-α/γ/δ agonists with improved metabolic stability. These efforts ultimately resulted in the identification of ZLY18, a quadruple FFA1/PPAR-α/γ/δ agonist with twice higher metabolic half-life than RLA8 in the liver microsome. In the triton-1339W-induced hyperlipidemic model, ZLY18 reversed hyperlipidemia to an almost normal level, which exhibited far stronger lipid-lowering effects than that of RLA8. Moreover, ZLY18 significantly decreased steatosis, hepatocellular ballooning, inflammation and liver fibrosis in NASH model even better than RLA8. Further mechanism studies suggested that ZLY18 exerts stronger effects than RLA8 on the regulation of the gene related to lipid synthesis, oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis. In addition, ZLY18 is more effective than pirfenidone in the prevention of CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. Besides, ZLY18 has an acceptable safety profile in the acute toxicity study at a high dose of 500 mg/kg. Therefore, ZLY18 represents a novel and highly promising quadruple FFA1/PPAR-α/γ/δ agonist worth of further investigation and development.

The Effects of Primary Unconjugated Bile Acids on Nanoencapsulated Pharmaceutical Formulation of Hydrophilic Drugs: Pharmacological Implications.

INTRODUCTION: In a recent study, in our laboratory, primary unconjugated bile acids, commonly found in humans, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), have been shown to improve stability of nanoencapsulated lipophilic drugs and improve their release profile after oral administration likely via electrokinetic stabilisation. Hence, this study aimed to examine the effects of CDCA on exerting similar effects on hydrophilic drugs. METHODS: Various CDCA-based formulations were produced for the orally administered hydrophilic drug, metformin. Analyses of these formulations included electrokinetic potentials, topography, drug and CDCA formulation contents, nano size distribution, heat-induced deformation and outer-core expansion indices, release profiles, shell-resistance ratio, and thermal and chemical indices. With the drug's main target being pancreatic beta-cells, the formulations' effects on cell viability, functions and inflammatory profiles were also investigated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: CDCA-based metformin formulations exhibited improved stability and release profiles via thermal, chemical and electrokinetic effects, which were formulation-dependent suggesting potential applications of CDCA in the oral targeted delivery of hydrophilic drugs.

Crystal structure of an apo 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase reveals key structural changes induced by substrate and co-factor binding.

7α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7α-HSDH) catalyzes the dehydrogenation of a hydroxyl group at the 7α position in steroid substrates using NAD+ or NADP+ as a co-factor. Although studies have determined the binary and ternary complex structures, detailed structural changes induced by ligand and co-factor binding remain unclear, because ligand-free structures are not yet available. Here, we present the crystal structure of apo 7α-HSDH from Escherichia coli (Eco-7α-HSDH) at 2.7 Å resolution. We found that the apo form undergoes substantial conformational changes in the ß4-α4 loop, α7-α8 helices, and C-terminus loop among the four subunits comprising the tetramer. Furthermore, a comparison of the apo structure with the binary (NAD+)-complex and ternary (NADH and 7-oxoglycochenodeoxycholic acid)-complex Eco-7α-HSDH structures revealed that only the ternary-complex structure has a fully closed conformation, whereas the binary-complex and apo structures have a semi-closed or open conformation. This open-to-closed transition forces several catalytically important residues (S146, Y159, and K163) into correct positions for catalysis. To confirm the catalytic activity, we used alcohol dehydrogenase for NAD+ regeneration to allow efficient conversion of chenodeoxycholic acid to 7-ketolithocholic acid by Eco-7α-HSDH. These findings demonstrate that apo Eco-7α-HSDH exhibits intrinsically flexible characteristics with an open conformation. This structural information provides novel insight into the 7α-HSDH reaction mechanism.

Development and in†vitro Profiling of Dual FXR/LTA4H Modulators.

Designed polypharmacology presents as an attractive strategy to increase therapeutic efficacy in multi-factorial diseases by a directed modulation of multiple involved targets with a single molecule. Such an approach appears particularly suitable in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) which involves hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis as pathological hallmarks. Among various potential pharmacodynamic mechanisms, activation of the farnesoid X receptor (FXRa) and inhibition of leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4Hi) hold promise to counteract NASH according to preclinical and clinical observations. We have developed dual FXR/LTA4H modulators as pharmacological tools, enabling evaluation of this polypharmacology concept to treat NASH and related pathologies. The optimized FXRa/LTA4Hi exhibits well-balanced dual activity on the intended targets with sub-micromolar potency and is highly selective over related nuclear receptors and enzymes rendering it suitable as tool to probe synergies of dual FXR/LTA4H targeting.

Design and identification of a new farnesoid X receptor (FXR) partial agonist by computational structure-activity relationship analysis: Ligand-induced H8 helix fluctuation in the ligand-binding domain of FXR may lead to partial agonism.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) controls gene-expression relevant to various diseases including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and has become a drug target to regulate metabolic aberrations. However, some side effects of FXR agonists reported in clinical development such as an increase in blood cholesterol levels incentivize the development of partial agonists to minimize side effects. In this study, to identify a new partial agonist, we analyzed the computational structure-activity relationship (SAR) of FXR agonists previously developed in our laboratories using molecular dynamics simulations. SAR analysis showed that fluctuations in the H8 helix, by ligand binding, of the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of FXR may influence agonistic activity. Based on this observation, 6 was newly designed as a partial agonist and synthesized. As a result of biological evaluations, 6 showed weak agonistic activity (40.0% relative agonistic activity to the full-agonist GW4064) and a potent EC50 value (55.5 nM). The successful identification of the new potent partial agonist 6 suggested that helix fluctuation in the LBD induced by ligands could be one way to develop partial agonists.

Obeticholic Acid Derivative, T-2054 Suppresses Osteoarthritis via Inhibiting NF-κB-Signaling Pathway.

Osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disorder, has been reported as the most common cause of disability worldwide. The production of inflammatory cytokines is the main factor in OA. Previous studies have been reported that obeticholic acid (OCA) and OCA derivatives inhibited the release of proinflammatory cytokines in acute liver failure, but they have not been studied in the progression of OA. In our study, we screened our small synthetic library of OCA derivatives and found T-2054 had anti-inflammatory properties. Meanwhile, the proliferation of RAW 264.7 cells and ATDC5 cells were not affected by T-2054. T-2054 treatment significantly relieved the release of NO, as well as mRNA and protein expression levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, T-2054 promoted extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis in TNF-α-treated ATDC5 chondrocytes. Moreover, T-2054 could relieve the infiltration of inflammatory cells and degeneration of the cartilage matrix and decrease the levels of serum IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in DMM-induced C57BL/6 mice models. At the same time, T-2054 showed no obvious toxicity to mice. Mechanistically, T-2054 decreased the extent of p-p65 expression in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and TNF-α-treated ATDC5 chondrocytes. In summary, we showed for the first time that T-2054 effectively reduced the release of inflammatory mediators, as well as promoted extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis via the NF-κB-signaling pathway. Our findings support the potential use of T-2054 as an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of OA.

Improvements in the Oral Absorption and Anticancer Efficacy of an Oxaliplatin-Loaded Solid Formulation: Pharmacokinetic Properties in Rats and Nonhuman Primates and the Effects of Oral Metronomic Dosing on Colorectal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The anticancer efficacy of orally administered chemotherapeutics is often constrained by low intestinal membrane permeability and oral bioavailability. In this context, we designed a solid oral formulation of oxaliplatin (OP), a third-generation cisplatin analog, to improve oral bioavailability and investigate its application in metronomic chemotherapy. METHODS: An ion-pairing complex of OP with a permeation enhancer, N α-deoxycholyl-l-lysyl-methylester (DLM), was successfully prepared and then mixed with dispersing agents (including poloxamer 188 and Labrasol) to form the solid, amorphous oral formulation OP/DLM (OP/DLM-SF; hereafter, ODSF). RESULTS: The optimized powder formulation was sized in the nanoscale range (133±1.47 nm). The effective permeability of OP increased by 12.4-fold after ionic complex formation with DLM and was further increased by 24.0-fold after incorporation into ODSF. ODSF exhibited respective increases of 128% and 1010% in apparent permeability across a Caco-2 monolayer, compared to OP/DLM and OP. Furthermore, inhibition of bile acid transporters by actinomycin D and caveola-mediated uptake by brefeldin in Caco-2 cell monolayers reduced the apparent permeability values of ODSF by 58.4% and 51.1%, respectively, suggesting predominant roles for bile acid transporters and caveola-mediated transport in intestinal absorption of ODSF. In addition, macropinocytosis and paracellular and transcellular passive transport significantly influenced the intestinal permeation of ODSF. The oral bioavailabilities of ODSF in rats and monkeys were 68.2% and 277% higher, respectively, than the oral bioavailability of free OP. In vivo analyses of anticancer efficacy in CT26 and HCT116 cell-bearing mice treated with ODSF demonstrated significant suppression of tumor growth, with respective maximal tumor volume reductions of 7.77-fold and 4.07-fold, compared to controls. CONCLUSION: ODSF exhibits therapeutic potential, constituting an effective delivery system that increases oral bioavailability, with applications to metronomic chemotherapy.

Discovery and Optimization of Non-bile Acid FXR Agonists as Preclinical Candidates for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays a key role in bile acid homeostasis, inflammation, fibrosis, and metabolism of lipid and glucose and becomes a promising therapeutic target for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or other FXR-dependent diseases. The phase III trial results of obeticholic acid demonstrate that the FXR agonists emerge as a promising intervention in patients with NASH and fibrosis, but this bile acid-derived FXR agonist brings severe pruritus and an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease for patients. Herein, we reported our efforts in the discovery of a series of non-bile acid FXR agonists, and 36 compounds were designed and synthesized based on the structure-based drug design and structural optimization strategies. Particularly, compound 42 is a highly potent and selective FXR agonist, along with good pharmacokinetic profiles, high liver distribution, and preferable in vivo efficacy, indicating that it is a potential candidate for the treatment of NASH or other FXR-dependent diseases.

Facial synthesis of key intermediate of obeticholic acid via Pd-catalyzed Kumada-Tamao-Corriu cross-coupling reaction.

Obeticholic acid (OCA) is used to treatment for Primary Biliary Cholangitis and other Famesoid X Receptor related diseases. Through the palladium catalyzed Kumada-Tamao-Corriu cross-coupling reaction, a novel and efficient method for synthesis of OCA with satisfied yield was successfully developed. The absolute configuration of the key intermediate was confirmed by Single-crystal X-ray Diffraction. It affords good strategy for large-scale synthesis of OCA.

Nidufexor (LMB763), a Novel FXR Modulator for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists are emerging as important potential therapeutics for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients, as they exert positive effects on multiple aspects of the disease. FXR agonists reduce lipid accumulation in the liver, hepatocellular inflammation, hepatic injury, and fibrosis. While there are currently no approved therapies for NASH, the bile acid-derived FXR agonist obeticholic acid (OCA; 6-ethyl chenodeoxycholic acid) has shown promise in clinical studies. Previously, we described the discovery of tropifexor (LJN452), the most potent non-bile acid FXR agonist currently in clinical investigation. Here, we report the discovery of a novel chemical series of non-bile acid FXR agonists based on a tricyclic dihydrochromenopyrazole core from which emerged nidufexor (LMB763), a compound with partial FXR agonistic activity in vitro and FXR-dependent gene modulation in vivo. Nidufexor has advanced to Phase 2 human clinical trials in patients with NASH and diabetic nephropathy.

Current and potential treatments for primary biliary cholangitis.

Up to 40% of patients with primary biliary cholangitis have an incomplete response to first-line treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid. Obeticholic acid was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2016 as a second-line treatment for patients with primary biliary cholangitis who are unresponsive to ursodeoxycholic acid; however, approximately 50% of patients might need additional treatments to reach therapeutic goals. A considerable need exists for effective treatment options to prevent progression to liver transplantation or death in these patients. Drugs that might modulate immunological abnormalities in primary biliary cholangitis have been studied but their effectiveness varies. Budesonide, ciclosporin, and rituximab have shown potential in modifying the disease process. Bezafibrate, a pan-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonist, has been shown to ameliorate deranged bile acid homoeostasis and attenuate raised concentrations of liver enzymes associated with primary biliary cholangitis. As the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis and progression of primary biliary cholangitis are further clarified, specific targeted therapies are under development with promising early results. Various therapeutic target bile acid homeostasis, immune dysfunction, and fibrogenetic pathways are being studied. A better understanding of the biochemical and clinical effects of the therapies in development bear discussion, both to guide the discovery of new therapies and to inform clinicians so that rational treatment regimens can be tailored to patients once they become available.

Regulation of bile acid metabolism in mouse models with hydrophobic bile acid composition.

The bile acid (BA) composition in mice is substantially different from that in humans. Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) is an end product in the human liver; however, mouse Cyp2c70 metabolizes CDCA to hydrophilic muricholic acids (MCAs). Moreover, in humans, the gut microbiota converts the primary BAs, cholic acid and CDCA, into deoxycholic acid (DCA) and lithocholic acid (LCA), respectively. In contrast, the mouse Cyp2a12 reverts this action and converts these secondary BAs to primary BAs. Here, we generated Cyp2a12 KO, Cyp2c70 KO, and Cyp2a12/Cyp2c70 double KO (DKO) mice using the CRISPR-Cas9 system to study the regulation of BA metabolism under hydrophobic BA composition. Cyp2a12 KO mice showed the accumulation of DCAs, whereas Cyp2c70 KO mice lacked MCAs and exhibited markedly increased hepatobiliary proportions of CDCA. In DKO mice, not only DCAs or CDCAs but also DCAs, CDCAs, and LCAs were all elevated. In Cyp2c70 KO and DKO mice, chronic liver inflammation was observed depending on the hepatic unconjugated CDCA concentrations. The BA pool was markedly reduced in Cyp2c70 KO and DKO mice, but the FXR was not activated. It was suggested that the cytokine/c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathway and the pregnane X receptor-mediated pathway are the predominant mechanisms, preferred over the FXR/small heterodimer partner and FXR/fibroblast growth factor 15 pathways, for controlling BA synthesis under hydrophobic BA composition. From our results, we hypothesize that these KO mice can be novel and useful models for investigating the roles of hydrophobic BAs in various human diseases.

Effect of Auxiliary Donors on 3,8-Phenothiazine Dyes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Phenothiazines are one of the more common dye scaffolds for dye-sensitized solar cells. However, these sensitizers are exclusively based on a 3,7-substitution pattern. Herein, we have synthesized and characterized novel 3,8-substituted phenothiazine dyes in order to evaluate the effect of auxiliary donor groups on the performance of this new dye class. The power conversion efficiency increased by 7%-10% upon insertion of an auxiliary donor in position 8 of the phenothiazine, but the structure of the auxiliary donor (phenyl, naphthyl, pyrene) had a low impact when electrodes were stained with chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) additive. In the absence of CDCA, the highest power conversion efficiency was seen for the phenyl-based sensitizer attributed to a higher quality dye-monolayer. By comparing the novel dyes to their previously reported 3,7- analogues, only subtle differences were seen in photophysical, electrochemical, and performance measurements. The most notable difference between the two geometries is a lowering of the oxidation potentials of the 3,8-dyes by 40-50 mV compared to the 3,7-analogues. The best auxiliary donor for the 3,8-phenothiazine dyes was found to be pyrenyl, with the best device delivering a power conversion efficiency of 6.23% (99 mW cm-2, 10 eq. CDCA, JSC = 10.20 mA cm-2, VOC = 791 mV, and FF = 0.765).

Intestinal transport mechanism and in vivo anticancer efficacy of a solid oral formulation incorporating an ion-pairing complex of pemetrexed with deoxycholic acid derivative.

OBJECTIVE: The rational combination of immunotherapy with standard chemotherapy shows synergistic clinical activities in cancer treatment. In the present study, an oral powder formulation of pemetrexed (PMX) was developed to enhance intestinal membrane permeability and investigate its application in metronomic chemotherapy in combination with immunotherapy. METHODS: PMX was ionically complexed with a bile acid derivative (Nα-deoxycholyl-l-lysyl-methylester; DCK) as a permeation enhancer and mixed with dispersing agents, such as poloxamer 188 (P188) and Labrasol, to form an amorphous oral powder formulation of PMX/DCK (PMX/DCK-OP). RESULTS: The apparent permeability (Papp) of PMX/DCK-OP across a Caco-2 cell monolayer was 2.46- and 8.26-fold greater than that of PMX/DCK and free PMX, respectively, which may have been due to the specific interaction of DCK with bile acid transporters, as well as the alteration of membrane fluidity due to Labrasol and P188. Furthermore, inhibition of bile acid transporters by actinomycin D in Caco-2 cell monolayers decreased the Papp of PMX/DCK-OP by 75.4%, suggesting a predominant role of bile acid transporters in the intestinal absorption of PMX/DCK-OP. In addition, caveola/lipid raft-dependent endocytosis, macropinocytosis, passive diffusion, and paracellular transport mechanisms significantly influenced the permeation of PMX/DCK-OP through the intestinal membrane. Therefore, the oral bioavailability of PMX/DCK-OP in rats was 19.8%±6.93%, which was 294% higher than that of oral PMX. Moreover, an in vivo anticancer efficacy study in B16F10 cell-bearing mice treated with a combination of oral PMX/DCK-OP and intraperitoneal anti-PD1 exhibited significant suppression of tumor growth, and the tumor volume was maximally inhibited by 2.03- and 3.16-fold compared to the oral PMX/DCK-OP and control groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: These findings indicated the therapeutic potential of a combination of low-dose oral chemotherapy and immunotherapy for synergistic anticancer efficacy.

The protective effect and mechanism of the FXR agonist obeticholic acid via targeting gut microbiota in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: It is reported that various diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are associated with imbalance of microbiome. And FXR has been well investigated in liver diseases. Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the role of farnesoid X receptor agonist obeticholic acid via targeting gut microbiota in NAFLD. Patients and methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed either a normal-chow diet or a high-fat diet (HFD). Obeticholic acid(30mg/(kg·d)) and/or a combination of antibiotics were administered orally by gavage to mice for 12 weeks. Gut microbiota profiles were established through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The effects of obeticholic acid on liver inflammation, the gut barrier, endotoxemia, gut microbiome and composition of the bile acid were also investigated. Results: Obeticholic acid treatment can significantly improve obesity, circulation metabolism disorders, liver inflammation and fibrosis, and intestinal barrier damage caused by HFD. Removal of normal commensal bacteria can weaken the effect of obeticholic acid. The gut microbial structure was changed, and abundance of Blautia was increased significantly after treated with obeticholic acid. After obeticholic acid treatment, the concentration of taurine-bound bile acid caused by HFD was reduced in the liver. Conclusion: Taken together, these data suggest that obeticholic acid has aprotective effect on NAFLD via changing the components of gut microbiota, specifically increasing the abundance of Blautia.

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of obeticholic acid in rat plasma and its application in preclinical pharmacokinetic studies.

Currently, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the only clear medical treatment for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). However, approximately 40% of patients are not sensitive to UDCA. In recent years, obeticholic acid (OCA) combined with UDCA has been used in the PBC patients who were not sensitive to UDCA, or as monotherapy for PBC adult patients who are intolerant to UDCA. OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a specific, sensitive and reliable tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination of obeticholic acid (OCA) in rat plasma. METHODS: Plasma samples were treated with liquid-liquid extraction. Diazepam was selected as the internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was achieved by an Acquity BEH C18 column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 µm) and a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and ultrapure water (containing 0.1% formic acid). The analyte was detected in positive ion mode by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) methods were used to detect specific precursor and product ions. The target ion pair of OCA was 419.38 → 401.22, and the IS was 285.05 → 193.02. RESULTS: The linear range of OCA in rat plasma was 0.05-50 µg/mL (R2 = 0.992); the recovery rate was 91.34%-97.37%. This assay showed good intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy. No significant matrix effects in this study. CONCLUSION: A specific, sensitive and reliable quantitative analysis method was established to detect OCA after oral/intravenous administration in rat plasma via UPLC-MS/MS. It was appropriate for preclinical pharmacokinetic studies of OCA.

Conversion of chenodeoxycholic acid to cholic acid by human CYP8B1.

The human cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP8B1 is a crucial regulator of the balance of cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) in the liver. It was previously shown to catalyze the conversion of 7α-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, a CDCA precursor, to 7α,12α-dihydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, which is an intermediate of CA biosynthesis. In this study we demonstrate that CYP8B1 can also convert CDCA itself to CA. We also show that five derivatives of luciferin are metabolized by CYP8B1 and established a rapid and convenient inhibitor test system. In this way we were able to identify four new CYP8B1 inhibitors, which are aminobenzotriazole, exemestane, ketoconazole and letrozole.

A facile synthesis of ursodeoxycholic acid and obeticholic acid from cholic acid.

A novel synthetic route of producing ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and obeticholic acid (OCA) was developed through multiple reactions from cheap and readily-available cholic acid. The reaction conditions of the key elimination reaction of mesylate ester group were also investigated and optimized, including solvent, base and reaction temperature. In the straightforward synthetic route for preparation of UDCA and OCA, most of the reaction steps have high conversions with average yields of 94% and 92%, and overall yield up to 65% (7 steps) and 36% (11 steps) from cholic acid, respectively. This promising route offers economical and efficient strategies for potential large-scale production of UDCA and OCA.