Bile acids and male fertility: From mouse to human?

Publication date: Available online 16 May 2017 Source:Molecular Aspects of Medicine Author(s): Lauriane Sèdes, Emmanuelle Martinot, Marine Baptissart, Silvère Baron, Françoise Caira, Claude Beaudoin, David H. Volle Next to their involvement in digestion, bile acids have been defined as signaling molecules. They have been demonstrated to control many physiological functions among which lipid homeostasis, glucose and energy metabolisms. Bile acids are ligands of several receptors and multiple studies using transgenic mouse models defined the major roles of their respective nuclear and membrane receptors namely the Farnesoid-X-Receptor (FXRα) and the G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1(GPBAR1; TGR5). Here we review the reports highlighting the impacts of bile acids on testicular physiology and on male reproductive functions. The studies on mouse models open perspectives to better understand the deleterious effects of bile acids on testicular pathophysiologies and fertility disorders. Additional studies are needed to corroborate these correlations in humans.
Source: Molecular Aspects of Medicine - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research