Gut microbiome and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases

Altered gut microbiome may independently cause obesity, a significant risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD).

• Microbial metabolites and cell components contribute to the development of hepatic steatosis and inflammation, key factors in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
• Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by gut microbes, are linked to caloric intake and enhance intestinal absorption through GLP-2 signaling.
• Elevated SCFAs could serve as an adaptive response to suppress colitis, potentially prioritizing this over imbalanced calorie intake.
• The microbiome of NASH patients shows an increased ability to produce alcohol, which may relate to the mechanisms involved in alcoholic steatohepatitis.
• NAFLD/NASH is associated with an elevated Gram-negative microbiome and endotoxemia, though many NASH patients have normal serum endotoxin, suggesting it is not essential for the disease's development.
• Traditional probiotic species showed very limited effects, indicating that novel probiotic therapies targeting NAFLD/NASH specific microbial compositions could be a beneficial future direction.

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