Pharmacogenetics of the Effects of Colesevelam on Colonic Transit in Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea

Background Protein products of klothoβ ( KLB ) and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 ( FGFR4 ) impact fibroblast growth factor 19-mediated feedback inhibition of hepatic bile acid (BA) synthesis. Variants of KLB and FGFR4 influence colonic transit (CT) in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Aim The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that colesevelam’s slowing effects on CT in IBS-D patients is influenced by genetic variants in KLB and FGFR4 . Methods We examined pharmacogenetic effects of KLB and FGFR4 coding variants (SNPs) on scintigraphic CT response to the BA sequestrant, colesevelam 1.875 g b.i.d. versus placebo (PLA) for 14 days in 24 female IBS-D patients. Results FGFR4 rs351855 and KLB rs497501 were associated with differential colesevelam effects on ascending colon (AC) half-emptying time ( t 1/2 , P = 0.046 and P = 0.085 respectively) and on overall CT at 24 h (geometric center, GC24: P = 0.073 and P = 0.042, respectively), with slower transit for rs351855 GA/AA (but not for GG) and rs497501 CA/AA (but not CC) genotypes. Conclusion FGFR4 rs351855 and KLB rs4975017 SNPs may identify a subset of IBS-D patients with beneficial response to colesevelam.