Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnology, Sapienza University of Rome Polo Pontino, 04100 Roma, Italy.
Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 04100 Roma, Italy.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Apr 3;24(7):6660. doi: 10.3390/ijms24076660.
The "Gut-Liver Axis" refers to the physiological bidirectional interplay between the gut and its microbiota and the liver which, in health, occurs thanks to a condition of immune tolerance. In recent years, several studies have shown that, in case of a change in gut bacterial homeostasis or impairment of intestinal barrier functions, cholangiocytes, which are the epithelial cells lining the bile ducts, activate innate immune responses against gut-derived microorganisms or bacterial products that reach the liver via enterohepatic circulation. Intestinal dysbiosis or impaired intestinal barrier functions cause cholangiocytes to be exposed to an increasing amount of microorganisms that can reactivate inflammatory responses, thus inducing the onset of liver fibrosis. The present review focuses on the role of the gut-liver axis in the pathogenesis of cholangiopathies.
“肠-肝轴”是指肠道及其微生物群与肝脏之间的生理双向相互作用，在健康状态下，这种相互作用是通过免疫耐受来实现的。近年来，多项研究表明，在肠道细菌内稳态发生变化或肠道屏障功能受损的情况下，胆管细胞（即胆管的上皮细胞）会针对通过肠肝循环到达肝脏的肠道来源的微生物或细菌产物激活固有免疫反应。肠道菌群失调或肠道屏障功能受损会导致胆管细胞暴露于越来越多的微生物，这些微生物可以重新激活炎症反应，从而导致肝纤维化的发生。本综述重点介绍了肠-肝轴在胆病发病机制中的作用。
