Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40889808›Full record

ArticleClinical and molecular hepatology2025

Association of bile acid composition with synthetic pathways and efficacy of bezafibrate in cholestatic liver disease.

Manami Iida, Atsuko Higashida, Shuichi Ohtomo, Akihito Takeuchi, Ryo Miura, Yoshinari Asaoka, Naoshi Horiba, Akira Honda, Atsushi Tanaka

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical and molecular hepatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Manami IidaResearch Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan.
Atsuko HigashidaChugai Research Institute for Medical Science, Inc., Kanagawa, Japan.
Shuichi OhtomoTranslational Research Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
Akihito TakeuchiDepartment of Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Ryo MiuraDepartment of Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Yoshinari AsaokaDepartment of Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Naoshi HoribaResearch Division, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan.
Akira HondaDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ibaraki, Japan.
Atsushi TanakaDepartment of Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Funding

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

aimsBezafibrate (BZF), a dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor/pregnane X receptor agonist, has demonstrated efficacy in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Although one of the therapeutic effects of BZF is suppression of bile acid synthesis, its specific impact on bile acid synthesis pathways has not been thoroughly explored. This study investigated bile acid profiles, synthesis intermediates, and their associations with liver biochemistries in patients with PBC and PSC, and evaluated the impact of BZF treatment on these associations.

methodsWe enrolled 30 patients with PBC, 10 with PSC, and 30 control subjects. We measured total bile acids, bile acid components, plasma levels of 7α-hydroxycholesterol (7α-OH-C), 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (C4), and 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OH-C) to assess the classic and alternative bile acid synthesis pathways and analyzed the association with liver biochemistries with and without BZF treatment.

resultsTotal bile acid levels were elevated in PBC and PSC compared to controls, correlating significantly with liver biochemistries. BZF treatment significantly suppressed the classic pathway, as evidenced by reduced 7α-OH-C and C4 levels. However, 27-OH-C levels, possibly reflecting the alternative pathway activity, were not reduced in those with elevated liver biochemistries despite BZF treatment, suggesting incomplete suppression of alternative pathway in patients with suboptimal BZF response.

conclusionThese findings indicate that while BZF effectively suppresses the classic pathway, alternative pathway activity may compromise its therapeutic efficacy in treatment-resistant cases, highlighting the need for novel therapies inhibiting the alternative pathway in patients with inadequate response to BZF.

Indexed as

BezafibrateBile Acids and SaltsLiver Cirrhosis, BiliaryAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesCholangitis, SclerosingCholestenonesFemaleHumansHydroxycholesterolsHypolipidemic AgentsLiverMaleMiddle AgedUrsodeoxycholic Acid7 alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-oneBezafibrateBile Acids and SaltsCholestenonesHydroxycholesterolsHypolipidemic AgentsUrsodeoxycholic AcidBile acidPrimary biliary cholangitisPrimary sclerosing cholangitisUrsodeoxycholic acid

Identifiers

PMID40889808
PMCPMC12538136

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.