Nuclear receptor-mediated control of bile composition: implications for gallstone formation.

Bile is a digestive juice synthesised by the liver and transported to the gallbladder for temporary storage. The bile acid metabolism is highly regulated by nuclear receptors (NRs). Disturbance in its composition results in the formation of gallstone. In this review the molecular mechanism behind bile formation and its regulation were discussed. The manuscript primarily focused on the nuclear receptors (NRs) involved for bile acid metabolism and their role in gallstone formation. For these databases like ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Web of Science for peer-reviewed articles published from 2000 onward were surveyed. As per the literature survey cholecystectomy is the most promising and reliable treatment for gallstone. In this operative method gallbladder is removed along with the stones present in it. There is no sufficient data which support the oral litholysis of gallstone. This might be due to the absence of direct route to the gallbladder for oral intake. Hence, for its treatment NRs are targeted. Understanding the complete mechanism of bile formation is the vent for the oral litholysis of gallstone.