Basal PPARα inhibits bile acid metabolism adaptation in chronic cholestatic model induced by α-naphthylisothiocyanate

Cholestasis is one of the most challenging diseases to be treated in current hepatology. However little is known about the adaptation difference and the underlying mechanism between acute and chronic cholestasis. In this study, wild-type and Pparα-null mice were orally administered diet containing 0.05% ANIT to induce chronic cholestasis. Biochemistry, histopathology and serum metabolome analysis exhibited the similar toxic phenotype between wild-type and Pparα-null mice. Bile acid metabolism was strongly adapted in Pparα-null mice but not in wild-type mice. The Shp and Fxr mRNA was found to be doubled in cholestatic Pparα-null mice compared with the control group. Western blot confirmed the up-regulated expression of FXR in Pparα-null mice treated with ANIT. Inflammation was found to be stronger in Pparα-null mice than those in wild-type mice in chronic cholestasis. These data chain indicated that bile acid metabolism and inflammation signaling were different between wild-type and Pparα-null mice developing chronic cholestasis, although their toxic phenotypes could not be discriminated. So basal PPARα cross-talked with FXR and inhibited bile acid metabolism adaptation in chronic cholestasis.