Abnormality of intestinal cholesterol absorption in Apc mice with colon cancer cachexia

Colorectal cancer syndrome has been one of the greatest concerns in the world, particularly in developed countries. Several epidemiological studies have shown that dyslipidemia may be associated with the progression of intestinal cachexia, but there is little research on the function of the small intestine, which is involved in blood lipid metabolism, in dyslipidemia. In the present study, we aimed to explore the function of intestinal cholesterol absorption in the Apc mouse model using an intestinal lipid absorption test. We found that both triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) uptake were inhibited in the intestine of Apc mice with age and the intestinal peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) downregulated the processes of β-oxidation, oxidative stress response, and cholesterol absorption in APC-deficient mice. In addition, reduced expression levels of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) indicated that bile acid metabolism might be associated with intestinal cholesterol absorption in Apc mice. Thus, our data suggested that the intestine plays an essential role in cholesterol uptake and that bile acid metabolism seems to cause a decrease in intestinal cholesterol uptake in Apc mice.