The contribution of the gut-liver axis to the immune signaling pathway of NAFLD

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the liver manifestation of metabolic syndrome and is the most common chronic liver disease in the world. The pathogenesis of NAFLD has not been fully clarified; it involves metabolic disturbances, inflammation, oxidative stress, and various forms of cell death. The “intestinal-liver axis” theory, developed in recent years, holds that there is a certain relationship between liver disease and the intestinal tract, and changes in intestinal flora are closely involved in the development of NAFLD. Many studies have found that the intestinal flora regulates the pathogenesis of NAFLD by affecting energy metabolism, inducing endotoxemia, producing endogenous ethanol, and regulating bile acid and choline metabolism. In this review, we highlighted the updated discoveries in intestinal flora dysregulation and their link to the pathogenesis mechanism of NAFLD and summarized potential treatments of NAFLD related to the gut microbiome.

A bibliometric analysis of macrophages associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease research from 2005 to 2023

“…Particularly, the relationship between gut microbiota and NAFLD has garnered significant attention in research. It has been observed that the gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the onset and progression of NAFLD through various mechanisms [ [24] , [25] , [26] ]. Dysbiosis in the gut microbiota increases intestinal permeability, allowing harmful substances like lipopolysaccharides to enter the bloodstream, triggering hepatic inflammation [ [27] , [28] , [29] ].…”

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in obese patients with biopsy-confirmed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a cross-sectional study

“…On the other hand, it has been suggested that SIBO may contribute to the development of MASLD by inducing gut permeability and systemic inflammation, leading to the development of metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance (30)(31)(32). Also, gut microbiota differences between obese patients with or without MASLD has been previously reported by Jin and Xu (33), the gut microbiota composition was similar between obesity with MASLD and simple obesity, but the Faecalibacterium prausnitzii colony number was much lower in the obesity with MASLD than in the simple obesity.…”

The role of microbiomes in gastrointestinal cancers: new insights

“…As a result of this enterohepatic circulation, the liver is constantly exposed to substances that originate from the gut ( 160 ). Furthermore, the association linking the gut and the liver, commonly called the “gut-liver axis,” has garnered increasing attention from researchers due to its pivotal role in preserving liver homeostasis and averting the onset of ailments ( 161 , 162 ). One common finding in several liver illnesses is that tight connections between adjacent intestinal epithelial cells are impaired with increasing intestinal permeability, indicating that substances coming from the gut have an impact on liver function ( 160 , 163 ).…”