Cited by 67Gut microbiota and healthDrug Transport and Resistance MechanismsSteroid Chemistry and Biochemistry

New insights into microbial bile salt hydrolases: from physiological roles to potential applications

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Dong, Zixing, Yang, Shuangshuang, Tang, Cunduo, Li, Dandan, Kan, Yunchao, Yao, Lunguang·2025·Frontiers in Microbiology

Abstract

Gut microbiota has been increasingly linked to metabolic health and diseases over the past few decades. Bile acids (BAs), the major components of bile, are bidirectionally linked to intestinal microbiota, also known as the gut microbiome-BA metabolic axis. Gut microbiota-derived bile salt hydrolase (BSH, EC 3.5.1.24), which catalyzes the “gateway” reaction in a wider pathway of bile acid modification, not only shapes the bile acid landscape, but also modulates the crosstalk between gut microbiota and host health. Therefore, microbial BSHs exhibit the potential to directly or indirectly influence microbial and host physiologies, and have been increasingly considered as promising targets for the modulation of gut microbiota to benefit animal and human health. However, their physiological functions in bacterial and host physiologies are still controversial and not clear. In this review, we mainly discuss the current evidence related to the physiological roles that BSHs played in gut microbiota and human health, and the possible underlying mechanisms. Meanwhile, we also present the potential applications of BSHs and BSH-producing probiotics in various fields. Finally, we describe several important questions that need to be addressed by further investigations. A detailed exploration of the physiological significance of BSHs will contribute to their future diagnostic and therapeutic applications in improving animal and human health.

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Crossref · 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1513541

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  • Studies in animal models showed that increasing BSH activity in the gut ecosystem can lead to reduced body weight gain, lower adiposity, and decreased levels of circulating LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

    “Studies in animal models showed that increasing BSH activity in the gut ecosystem can lead to reduced body weight gain, lower adiposity, and decreased levels of circulating Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides [69].”

    From Bile Salt Hydrolase Activity in the Food-Derived Strain Levilactobacillus brevis M3R3: Genomic and Functional Characterization (2026) · cites this paper as [69]

    The ‘Impacts of microbial BSHs on host metabolism’ section (page not provided) reports that increased gut BSH expression in animal models lowered weight gain and adiposity, but it specifies reduced circulating serum cholesterol and liver triglycerides—not circulating triglycerides. The same section separately reports lower LDL cholesterol in an animal model with a BSH-active probiotic. Thus, the claim is supported except for the location of the triglyceride reduction. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Dong, Z., Yang, S., Tang, C., Li, D., Kan, Y., & Yao, L.
Affiliations
Nanyang Normal University (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Dong, Zixing
  • Yao, Lunguang
Venue
Frontiers in Microbiology
Published
2025-02-12
Volume
16
Pages
1513541-1513541
ISSN
1664-302X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4407419538
Cited by
64
References
168
Citations by year
2026: 41 · 2025: 23
FWCI
5.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Frontiers in Microbiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China
  • Nanyang Normal University (2023Y005)
  • Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province (222300420251)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Drug Transport and Resistance Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Steroid Chemistry and Biochemistry
Keywords
bile salt hydrolase, bile acids, gut microbiota, host-microbe crosstalk, probiotics, gut health, metabolic health

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