Fasting-induced upregulation of basolateral hepatic bile salt transporters in rats is mediated by the PGC–1alpha / HNF–4alpha pathway

Background & Aim: Fasting leads to extensive adaptive responses in the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids in rats including increased basolateral taurocholate-uptake in the presence of decreased intestinal absorption (Dumaswala AJP 1994). Since transport proteins may be involved in this regulatory process we studied expression and regulation of hepatic bile salt transporters. Methods: Rats (n=4) were fed with standard chow or starved for 48 hours. After RNA extraction, transporter expression of sodium dependent taurocholate cotransporting peptide (ntcp), organic anion transporting peptides (oatp) 1, 2 and 4…