Response and regulation of Vibrio cholerae to bile stress in intestinal tract

As an intestinal tract pathogen, Vibrio cholerae will colonize and proliferate in the intestine of human body only if it can endure various stresses including the acidic milieu of stomach, the toxic effects of bile in duodenum, high osmotic pressure and low concentration of oxygen. Liver synthesizes bile which is stored in gallbladder. After meal is ingested, especially the fatty meal, into small intestine, bile is secreted in duodenum. The main role of bile is to emulsify and solute lipids. It also has antimicrobial effect on the bacteria in intestinal tract. This paper summarizes the mechanism of how bile affecting Vibrio cholerae, how Vibrio cholerae sensing the stress of bile, evading the defense and establishing infection in intestine.