article · Livers
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is the leading cause of chronic liver disease globally. It covers conditions ranging from simple fat accumulation to severe inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Disruptions in the gut microbiota, known as dysbiosis, significantly influence the progression of this disease through the gut-liver axis. This communication network oversees immune, metabolic, and barrier systems. Imbalances in gut bacteria, elevated intestinal permeability, and the movement of inflammatory substances into the liver stimulate damaging inflammatory and fibrotic processes. Furthermore, specific microbial signatures linked to the condition present opportunities for non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers. Interventions aimed at correcting gut dysbiosis also show potential for new treatments, though targeted research remains essential to validate these markers and refine therapeutic methods.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease affects populations worldwide and can progress to severe conditions such as cirrhosis. Understanding how the gut microbiome influences liver health helps identify alternative routes to detect and manage the disease without invasive procedures, potentially leading to interventions that alter gut bacteria to prevent serious liver damage.
The insights could enable developers of diagnostics and therapeutics to create non-invasive microbiome tests and microbiome-targeted treatments for patients with liver disease. Given that the abstract describes a review highlighting the need for validation of microbial biomarkers and optimisation of therapeutic strategies, the underlying technologies remain at an early, exploratory research stage.
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), recently redefined as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Characterized by excessive hepatic fat accumulation, this disease encompasses a spectrum from simple steatosis to more severe forms, including steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Emerging evidence highlights the pivotal role of gut dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of MASLD. Dysbiosis disrupts the gut–liver axis, an intricate communication network that regulates metabolic, immune, and barrier functions. Alterations in gut microbiota composition, increased gut permeability, and translocation of pro-inflammatory metabolites/factors have been shown to trigger liver inflammatory and fibrotic cascades, exacerbating hepatic inflammation and injury. Recent studies have identified microbiome signatures associated with MASLD, offering promise as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers and paving the way for new potential therapeutic strategies targeting gut dysbiosis. This review explores the crucial role of the gut microbiota in MASLD pathogenesis and highlights the need for further targeted research in this field to validate microbial biomarkers and optimize therapeutic strategies. Comprehensive understanding of the gut–liver axis may enable innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, transforming the clinical management of MASLD.
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DOI: 10.3390/livers5010011
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