Role of Gut-Liver Axis in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Mini Review

Authors
Hessam Yaghmaei 1
Amirmahdi Taromiha 2
Seyed Ali Nojoumi 2
Masood Soltanipur 3
Sina Shahshenas 4
Mahdi Rezaei 5
Seyed Mohsen Mirhosseini 5
Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini 4
Seyed Davar Siadat 2
1 Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Mycobacteriology and Pulmonary Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
3 Quality of Life Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
4 Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
5 Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
10.61882/ibj.4212
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a significant global health problem, mainly due to the increasing prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. The gut microbiota plays an essential role in the development of NAFLD through the gut-liver axis. Dysbiosis of. the gut microbiota (GM) is associated with the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Dietary choices and other lifestyle factors influence the composition of the GM and contribute to the development of NAFLD. At the phylum level, individuals with NAFLD show an increased level in Actinobacteria and Firmicutes, while Verrucomicrobia, Thermus, Proteobacteria, Lentiphaerae, and Fusobacteria are found to be decreased. Several genera, including Faecalibacterium and Akkermansia, exhibit alterations in NAFLD and are linked to disease progression. Modulating the GM through prebiotics, probiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation represents a promising therapeutic strategy for NAFLD. This review summarizes the current understanding of GM changes in NAFLD, focusing on findings from both human and animal studies.
Keywords
dysbiosis
Gastrointestinal microbiome
Microbiota
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Iranian Biomedical Journal
Volume 29, Issue 1 - Serial Number 117
January and February 2025
Pages 1-8