lithocholate; lithocholic acid

Introduction

• made by gut bacteria
• facilitates digestion of fat
• expression induced by calorie restriction
  • activates AMPK considered to play a role in the life-extending effects of calorie restriction (see calorie restriction Biochemistry:)
  • high hopes that lithocholic acid may provide calorie restriction in a pill
  • calorie restriction although beneficial for weight loss also results in loss of muscle mass of concern in the elderly*
  • can lithocholic acid provide the benefits of calorie restriction without associated loss of muscle mass?
• centenarians have a distinct gut microbiome enriched in microorganisms capable of generating various isoforms of lithocholic acid (LCA) including isoallo-LCA
  • Odoribacteraceae produce isoallo-LCA using steroid 5-alpha reductase & 3-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
  • isoallo-LCA exerts potent antimicrobial effects against gram-positive multidrug-resistant bacteria, including Clostridioides difficile & Enterococcus faecium (no significant gram-negative activity)
• lithocholic acid may have anti-neoplastic properties.

* hunger also a likely concern with calorie restriction

Comparative biology

• lithocholic acid can extend lifespan in nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans) & fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), & rejuvenate old mice

More general terms

• sterol
• bile acid

More specific terms

• taurolithocholate; taurolithocholic acid

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=9903
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=500165
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=5319053