Bile Acids Made by Gut Bacteria May Lengthen the Body Clock in Intestinal Cells

Lithocholic acid (LCA) was identified as a circadian modulator that lengthens the circadian period in human colonic cells.

• LCA affects the transcription of core clock genes in a dose-responsive manner.
• It appears to modulate the CK1δ/ε-PP1 feedback loop and stabilize the CRY2 protein.
• LCA feeding alters circadian transcription in the mouse distal ileum and colon.
• The findings suggest a molecular link between gut microbiome metabolites and host circadian biology.
• Bile acids like LCA may provide insights into how peripheral clocks adapt to food intake timing.

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