Supplementary Information.pdf

ABSTRACT

Context: Bile acids (BA) are known for their role in intestinal lipid absorption,
and can also play a role as signaling molecules to control energy metabolism.
Prior evidence suggests that alterations in circulating BA levels and in the
pool of circulating BA are linked to an increased risk of obesity and a higher
incidence of T2D in middle-aged adults.

Objective: To investigate the association between plasma levels
of BA with cardiometabolic risk factors in a cohort of well-phenotyped
relatively healthy young adults.

Methods:
Body composition, brown adipose tissue, serum classical cardiometabolic risk
factors, and a set of 8 plasma BA (including glyco-conjugated forms) in 136
young adults (age 22.1±2.2 years, 67% women) were measured.

Results:
Plasma levels of CDCA and GUDCA were
higher in men than in women, although these
differences disappeared after adjusting for body fat percentage. Furthermore,
CA, CDCA, DCA, and GDCA levels were positively, yet weakly associated, with
lean body mass levels, while GDCA and GLCA levels were negatively associated
with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake by brown adipose tissue.
Interestingly, GCA, GCDCA, and GUDCA were positively associated with glucose
and insulin serum levels, HOMA index, LDL-C, TNFa, IL-2 and IL-8 levels, but
negatively associated with HDL-C, ApoA1, and adiponectin levels, yet these
significant correlations partially disappeared after the inclusion of lean body
mass as a confounder.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that plasma levels of BA might be sex-dependent and
that are associated with cardiometabolic and inflammatory risk factors in young
and relatively healthy adults.