Susan Joyce
University College Cork, Ireland
Title: The role of microbial modification of bile acids for host-microbe cross talk in a cohort of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
Biography
Biography: Susan Joyce
Abstract
The GI tract is recognised as a super organ where co-evolved mutualistic relationship benefits both the microbial residents and human health. For instance, while the liver is responsible for bile acid synthesis and conjugation, the gut microbiota is responsible for the diversity of bile moieties. Bile moieties are more than just emulsifiers of lipid and liberators of vitamins from dietary components. They act as signalling molecules that can exert their effects both locally and systemically, the most potent signalling molecules are those generated through microbial conversion. Here, we have examined an Irish cohort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (n=182). We have stratified based on volunteer demographics and analysed a range of metabolites, including bile moieties, hormones and cytokines in these patients. Here we link bile modifications with bile acid signalling and the incidence of bile acid diarrhoea (BAD) in these patients. We show that BAD is elevated in incidence of Crohn’s disease irrespective of BMI and that this incidence is due to increased levels of microbial produced secondary bile acids and to aberrant hormonal signalling.