The choleretic role of tauroursodeoxycholic acid exacerbates alpha‐naphthylisothiocyanate induced cholestatic liver injury through the FXR/BSEP pathway

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the effect of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) on the alpha‐naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT)‐induced model of cholestasis in mice. Wild‐type and farnesoid X receptor (FXR)‐deficient ( Fxr −/− ) mice were used to generate cholestasis models by gavage with ANIT. Obeticholic acid (OCA) was used as a positive control. In wild‐type mice, treatment with TUDCA for 7 days resulted in a dramatic increase in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), with aggravation of bile infarcts and hepatocyte necrosis with ANIT‐induction. TUDCA activated FXR to upregulate the expression of bile salt export pump (BSEP), increasing bile acids (BAs)‐dependent bile flow, but aggravating cholestatic liver injury when bile ducts were obstructed resulting from ANIT. In contrast, TUDCA improved the liver pathology and decreased serum ALT and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in ANIT‐induced Fxr −/− mice. Furthermore, TUDCA inhibited the expression of cleaved caspase‐3 and reduced the area of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick‐end labeling (TUNEL) staining in the model mice. TUDCA also upregulated anion exchanger 2 (AE2) protein expression, protecting cholangiocytes against excessive toxic BAs. Our results showed that TUDCA aggravated cholestatic liver injury via the FXR/BSEP pathway when bile ducts were obstructed, although TUDCA inhibited apoptotic activity and protected cholangiocytes against excessive toxic BAs.