Fgf15 KO mice on the C57BL/6 background are embryonically lethal, so we used Fgfr4 KO mice as surrogates of Fgf15 KO mice in the current study. Consistent with previous findings, Fgfr4 KO mice expressed higher basal Cyp7a1 mRNA levels (Fig. 4A). Treatment with GW4064 in Fgfr4 KO mice only moderately suppressed 40% learn more Cyp7a1 gene expression, compared to the 95% suppression in WT mice (Fig. 4A). Interestingly, Fgfr4 deficiency led to decreased basal Shp gene expression in the liver (Fig. 4B) and decreased GW4064-induced Shp expression as well, indicating that Shp expression may be regulated

by MAPK-signaling pathways. Though bile-acid synthesis and Cyp7a1 gene expression was increased in β-Klotho KO mice,21 the current study did not show changes in hepatocyte β-Klotho mRNA levels after treatment with GW4064 (Fig. 4B), indicating that β-Klotho may not be regulated by Fxr. Besides

Fgf15 and Shp, additional factors may be involved in suppressing Cyp7a1 and Cyp8b1 gene expression after Fxr activation. To test Sirolimus this possibility, we generated mice deficient in both Fgfr4 and Shp (i.e., Fgfr4/Shp DKO mice). A marked increase of approximately 4-fold in Cyp7a1, but not Cyp8b1, mRNA levels was observed in these DKO mice (Fig. 4). Surprisingly, the activation of Fxr in these mice did not reduce the mRNA levels of Cyp7a1 or Cyp8b1 (Fig. 4), indicating that Fgf15 and Shp may be the only two factors involved in mediating the suppression of Cyp7a1 and Cyp8b1 gene expression after Fxr activation. In vitro, the activation of either JNK1/2

or ERK 1/2 after Fgfr4 activation has been shown to suppress Cyp7a1/CYP7A1 gene expression.10, 11 To clarify which of these two pathways is activated in vivo after Fgfr4 activation in mice, we determined Cyp7a1 and Cyp8b1 mRNA levels at 30 minutes and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 hours selleck inhibitor after exogenous Fgf15 protein treatment. As mentioned above, the expression of the Cyp7a1 gene is subject to circadian regulation. After Fgf15 injection, Cyp7a1 mRNA levels started to rise during the experimental duration, even with vehicle treatment. With Fgf15 administration, mRNA levels of Cyp7a1 decreased at 1 hour, reached their lowest point at 2 hours, stayed low for 3 and 4 hours, and returned to normal at 6 and 8 hours (Fig. 5A). Cyp8b1 mRNA levels also showed circadian change with a degree much smaller than those of Cyp7a1. With Fgf15 treatment, Cyp8b1 mRNA levels started to decrease at 2 hours and remained reduced during the entire time course examined (Fig. 5A). Once the time course of the suppression of Cyp7a1 and Cyp8b1 gene expression by exogenous Fgf15 protein was established, the protein levels of the total and the phosphorylated (i.e., the active form) MAPK family, including JNK, ERK, and p38, at 30 minutes and 1, 2, and 3 hours after Fgf15 injection, were determined.