Muricholic Acids Promote Resistance to Hypercholesterolemia in Cholesterol-Fed Mice

International audience; Background and aims: Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Although resistant to hypercholesterolemia, the mouse is a prominent model in cardiovascular research. To assess the contribution of bile acids to this protective phenotype, we explored the impact of a 2-week-long dietary cholesterol overload on cholesterol and bile acid metabolism in mice. Methods: Bile acid, oxysterol, and cholesterol metabolism and transport were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, GC-MS/MS, or enzymatic assays in the liver, the gut, the kidney, as well as in the feces, the blood, and the urine. Results: Plasma tr…