The association between gut microbiota, cholesterol gallstones, and colorectal cancer

Gut microbiota play critical roles in maintaining the human health in several aspects. Bile acids (BAs) are endogenous cholesterol-derived molecules that can be modified by the gut microbiota and act as signaling molecules in the regulation of host metabolic and physiology processes. Gut microbiota release many enzymes that are capable to perform considerable modifications on BAs such as bile salt hydrolases (BSH), 7α-dehydroxylase (CYP7A), and hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSDH). These enzymatic roles can change in the gut microbiota composition, cause alteration in BAs profile and metabolism and even gallstone formation. Patients with 15 years of asymptomatic gallstone have increased risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), which may be related to altered gut microbiota, changes in bile metabolism, as well as cellular and molecular effects in the proximal colon. In gallstone-associated CRC patients, the association between consensus molecular subtypes of CRC should be clarified to identify if specific pathways are related.