deuterium-labelled cholate

Deuterium-labelled cholate (also known as d4-cholate or 2,2,4,4-d4-cholic acid) is a stable isotope-labeled diagnostic drug developed by HepQuant. It is used as a non-radioactive tracer in quantitative liver function tests, such as the HepQuant SHUNT and HepQuant DuO tests, to assess hepatocyte function, portal blood flow, and portal-systemic shunting. Following oral administration, d4-cholate is absorbed and transported to the liver via the portal vein, where it undergoes first-pass hepatic extraction mediated by basolateral transporters like NTCP and OATPs. In patients with chronic liver disease, impaired hepatocyte uptake and portal-systemic shunting lead to increased spillover of d4-cholate into the systemic circulation. The clearance of d4-cholate is measured in peripheral blood samples using LC-MS/MS to calculate the Disease Severity Index (DSI), which helps stratify liver disease severity, predict clinical decompensation, and rule out large esophageal varices.

Brand names

HepQuant DuOHepQuant SHUNT

Other names

2,2,4,4-D4-cholate2,2,4,4-D4-cholic acidcholic acid-d4d4-cholated-4-cholated 4-cholated4-cholic acidd-4-cholic acidd 4-cholic aciddeuterated cholatedeuterated cholic aciddeuterium-labeled cholatedeuterium-labeled cholic aciddeuterium-labelled cholic acid