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Extrahepatic Bile Duct and Gall Bladder Dissection in Nine-Day-Old Mouse Neonates
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Hyocholic acids: Third bile acids for neonatal health

Jiayu Li1, Quazi T H Shubhra2, Xiaojun Cai1

  • 1School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China.

Trends in Molecular Medicine
|July 3, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Hyocholic acids (HCAs) are crucial for infant gut health. These bile acids promote immune tolerance and healthy microbiota, protecting newborns from infections and digestive issues.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal immunology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Microbiome research

Background:

  • Hyocholic acids (HCAs) are primary bile acids in neonates.
  • Fetal CYP3A7 synthesizes HCAs, influencing the neonatal bile acid pool.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role of HCAs in establishing neonatal intestinal immune tolerance.
  • To understand how HCAs guide the development of the infant gut microbiota.
  • To investigate the protective effects of HCAs against neonatal infections and gastrointestinal disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the neonatal bile acid pool composition.
  • Assessment of immune cell populations (T regulatory cells, T helper 17 cells) in the infant gut.
  • Microbiota profiling in neonatal subjects.

Main Results:

  • HCAs promote the expansion of regulatory T cells.
  • HCAs suppress the activity of T helper 17 cells.
  • HCAs facilitate the assembly of a healthy gut microbiota in infants.
  • Elevated HCAs correlate with protection against infections and gastrointestinal issues.

Conclusions:

  • HCAs are key mediators of intestinal immune tolerance in newborns.
  • HCAs play a vital role in shaping the neonatal gut microbiome.
  • HCAs offer protection against common infant infections and GI disorders.

Keywords:
CYP3A7Treg/Th17 balancehyocholic acidsmicrobiota assemblyneonatal immune tolerance

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