Analysis of Bile enterohepatic circulation dynamics and functional FXR/FGF19 in Crohn's disease

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K17390
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: SAITO KEIKO 千葉大学, 医学部附属病院, 特任助教 (30836416)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-02-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: クローン病 / 胆汁酸 / シネMRI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cine MRI, a special MRI video imaging method, was used to evaluate Crohn's disease lesions, stenosis, the presence of intestinal fluid retention and abnormalities of intestinal fluid flow in Crohn's disease cases. Cine MRI allowed us to also assess areas that were difficult to assess by small bowel endoscopy and small bowel contrast. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of bile acids showed an increase in kenodeoxycholic acid and a decrease in deoxycholic acid in the stool in all cases, suggesting that enterohepatic circulation is impaired in Crohn's disease cases, regardless of the presence of intestinal fluid retention on cine MRI.

Free Research Field

消化器

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

全小腸の内視鏡的観察は困難であるが、シネMRIの結果を合わせて解析することで、治療のターゲットを絞ることに有用であることが判明した。狭窄を伴うクローン病は明らかな腸液の流れの異常がなくても、炎症に関わる胆汁酸の体内での代謝に影響を及ぼしていると予想された。胆汁酸は多くの代謝・変換を受けて多数種類があるが、今後特定の胆汁酸と腸管粘膜バリア機能との関わりを解析していくことで、新規病勢マーカーや治療法も創出できる可能性がある。