The role of bile acids in the increased incidence of colorectal cancer in cholecystectomized patients

Abstract

Abstract An increased incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been observed among cholecystectomized patients. However, the exact mechanism is not fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of hepatic and gallbladder bile on normal and cancerous colon cells and to separately examine the effects of the most common bile acids (BAs). The concentrations of BAs in hepatic and gallbladder bile were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. The effects of bile and individual BAs (100, 300, 500, and 1000 µM) on the viability, proliferation, and metastatic potential of a normal cell line (FHC) and two adenocarcinoma (Caco-2 and FHC-116) cell lines were investigated using different cell assays. No difference was observed in the effects of hepatic and gallbladder bile on the proliferation of normal and adenocarcinoma cells. Among the BAs, taurine-conjugated BAs, especially taurocholic acid, time-dependently increased the proliferation of normal and adenocarcinoma cells and the metastatic potential of cancer cells. The study results showed that the increased risk of CRC in cholecystectomized patients is not due to bile composition changes, but elevated levels of taurine-conjugated BAs may contribute to the development or progression of CRC.