Collaborative Metabolism: Gut Microbes Play a Key Role in Canine and Feline Bile Acid Metabolism

Overview

Journal Vet Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Veterinary Medicine

Date 2024 Feb 23

PMID 38393112

Authors

John C Rowe

Jenessa A Winston

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Bile acids, produced by the liver and secreted into the gastrointestinal tract, are dynamic molecules capable of impacting the overall health of dogs and cats in many contexts. Importantly, the gut microbiota metabolizes host primary bile acids into chemically distinct secondary bile acids. This review explores the emergence of new literature connecting microbial-derived bile acid metabolism to canine and feline health and disease. Moreover, this review highlights multi-omic methodologies for translational research as an area for continued growth in veterinary medicine aimed at accelerating microbiome science and medicine as it pertains to bile acid metabolism in dogs and cats.

Citing Articles

Gut Metabolome in Companion Animal Nutrition-Linking Diets to Health.

Lyu Y, Pu J, Deng B, Wu C Animals (Basel). 2025; 15(5).

PMID: 40075934 PMC: 11898145. DOI: 10.3390/ani15050651.

Impact of on the intestinal microbiota of dogs with antibiotic-induced dysbiosis.

Arghavani S, Chorfi Y, Segura M, Lesaux A, Costa M Front Vet Sci. 2025; 12:1462287.

PMID: 39981313 PMC: 11841129. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1462287.

Recent advances in gut microbiota and thyroid disease: pathogenesis and therapeutics in autoimmune, neoplastic, and nodular conditions.

Fang L, Ning J Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2025; 14():1465928.

PMID: 39776440 PMC: 11703873. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1465928.

The prebiotic potential of lactobin and glucans combined with goat's milk in cats.

Han B, Sun J, Gu X, Wang J, Wang X, Tao H Can J Vet Res. 2025; 89(1):36-42.

PMID: 39744467 PMC: 11665729.

Multi-omics reveals the alleviating effect of berberine on ulcerative colitis through modulating the gut microbiome and bile acid metabolism in the gut-liver axis.

Yu J, Zheng Y, Liu C, Xie Z, Liu Q, Yang S Front Pharmacol. 2024; 15:1494210.

PMID: 39512826 PMC: 11540792. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1494210.

References

Perino A, Schoonjans K . Metabolic Messengers: bile acids. Nat Metab. 2022; 4(4):416-423. DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00559-z. View

Setchell K, Lawson A, Tanida N, Sjovall J . General methods for the analysis of metabolic profiles of bile acids and related compounds in feces. J Lipid Res. 1983; 24(8):1085-100. View

Dawson P . Role of the intestinal bile acid transporters in bile acid and drug disposition. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2010; (201):169-203. PMC: 3249407. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-14541-4_4. View

Galler A, Suchodolski J, Steiner J, Sung C, Hittmair K, Richter B . Microbial dysbiosis and fecal metabolomic perturbations in Yorkshire Terriers with chronic enteropathy. Sci Rep. 2022; 12(1):12977. PMC: 9334271. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17244-6. View

Washizu T, Ikenaga H, Washizu M, Ishida T, Tomoda I, Kaneko J . Bile acid composition of dog and cat gall-bladder bile. Nihon Juigaku Zasshi. 1990; 52(2):423-5. DOI: 10.1292/jvms1939.52.423. View

Schmidt M, Unterer S, Suchodolski J, Honneffer J, Guard B, Lidbury J . The fecal microbiome and metabolome differs between dogs fed Bones and Raw Food (BARF) diets and dogs fed commercial diets. PLoS One. 2018; 13(8):e0201279. PMC: 6093636. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201279. View

Ticho A, Malhotra P, Dudeja P, Gill R, Alrefai W . Intestinal Absorption of Bile Acids in Health and Disease. Compr Physiol. 2019; 10(1):21-56. PMC: 7171925. DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c190007. View

Zhu Q, Wang Y, An N, Hao J, Mei P, Bai Y . Alternating Dual-Collision Energy Scanning Mass Spectrometry Approach: Discovery of Novel Microbial Bile-Acid Conjugates. Anal Chem. 2022; 94(5):2655-2664. DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c05272. View

Phungviwatnikul T, Alexander C, Do S, He F, Suchodolski J, de Godoy M . Effects of dietary macronutrient profile on apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility and fecal microbiota, fermentative metabolites, and bile acids of female dogs after spay surgery. J Anim Sci. 2021; 99(9). PMC: 8418634. DOI: 10.1093/jas/skab225. View

10.

Brevini T, Maes M, Webb G, John B, Fuchs C, Buescher G . FXR inhibition may protect from SARS-CoV-2 infection by reducing ACE2. Nature. 2022; 615(7950):134-142. PMC: 9977684. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05594-0. View

11.

McMillin M, DeMorrow S . Effects of bile acids on neurological function and disease. FASEB J. 2016; 30(11):3658-3668. PMC: 5067249. DOI: 10.1096/fj.201600275R. View

12.

Rabin B, Nicolosi R, Hayes K . Dietary influence on bile acid conjugation in the cat. J Nutr. 1976; 106(9):1241-6. DOI: 10.1093/jn/106.9.1241. View

13.

Allenspach K, Wieland B, Grone A, Gaschen F . Chronic enteropathies in dogs: evaluation of risk factors for negative outcome. J Vet Intern Med. 2007; 21(4):700-8. DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2007)21[700:ceideo]2.0.co;2. View

14.

Alexander C, Cross T, Devendran S, Neumer F, Theis S, Ridlon J . Effects of prebiotic inulin-type fructans on blood metabolite and hormone concentrations and faecal microbiota and metabolites in overweight dogs. Br J Nutr. 2018; 120(6):711-720. DOI: 10.1017/S0007114518001952. View

15.

. 2021 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program. J Vet Intern Med. 2021; 35(6):2943-3204. PMC: 8692203. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16220. View

16.

Vrieze A, Out C, Fuentes S, Jonker L, Reuling I, Kootte R . Impact of oral vancomycin on gut microbiota, bile acid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. J Hepatol. 2013; 60(4):824-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2013.11.034. View

17.

Sato H, Macchiarulo A, Thomas C, Gioiello A, Une M, Hofmann A . Novel potent and selective bile acid derivatives as TGR5 agonists: biological screening, structure-activity relationships, and molecular modeling studies. J Med Chem. 2008; 51(6):1831-41. DOI: 10.1021/jm7015864. View

18.

Kawamata Y, Fujii R, Hosoya M, Harada M, Yoshida H, Miwa M . A G protein-coupled receptor responsive to bile acids. J Biol Chem. 2003; 278(11):9435-40. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M209706200. View

19.

Zhong M . TGR5 as a therapeutic target for treating obesity. Curr Top Med Chem. 2010; 10(4):386-96. DOI: 10.2174/156802610790980576. View

20.

Dehondt H, Marino A, Butruille L, Mogilenko D, Nzoussi Loubota A, Chavez-Talavera O . Adipocyte-specific FXR-deficiency protects adipose tissue from oxidative stress and insulin resistance and improves glucose homeostasis. Mol Metab. 2023; 69:101686. PMC: 9958065. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101686. View