Sex-linked differences in bile acid metabolism of germfree rats

Abstract

The bile acid composition was investigated in male and female germfree rats. β-Muricholic acid and cholic acid were the major bile acids in both sexes; in addition, 3β-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, α-muricholic acid, allochenodeoxycholic acid and allocholic acid were present. Important sex-linked differences in the relative amounts and the sulfation of these substances were observed. β-Muricholic and cholic acid accounted for 61.4 % and 27.7 % of total bile acids in the small intestine of males; females had 38.9 % of β-muricholic acid and 50 % of cholic acid. In females, the bile acid sulfate fraction increased from 1.1 % in the small intestine to 22.3 % in the large intestine; in males these values were 0.2 % and 1.7 %, respectively. A considerable increase in the relative amounts of allochenodeoxycholic and allocholic acid was observed in the cecum and large intestine of the female rat, where more than 70 % of these substances was in the bile acid sulfate fraction. In males these allo-bile acids were mainly in the unsulfated fraction and their relative amounts did not increase in the large intestine.