Saeed Huma, Díaz Luis Antonio, Gil-Gómez Antonio, Burton Jeremy, Bajaj Jasmohan S, Romero-Gomez Manuel, Arrese Marco, Arab Juan Pablo, Khan Mohammad Qasim
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
MASLD Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
Clin Mol Hepatol. 2025 Feb;31(Suppl):S94-S111. doi: 10.3350/cmh.2024.0811. Epub 2024 Nov 28.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a significant global health issue, affecting over 30% of the population worldwide due to the rising prevalence of metabolic risk factors such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. This spectrum of liver disease ranges from isolated steatosis to more severe forms such as steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Recent studies highlight the role of gut microbiota in MASLD pathogenesis, showing that dysbiosis significantly impacts metabolic health and the progression of liver disease. This review critically evaluates current microbiome-centered therapies in MASLD management, including prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and emerging therapies such as engineered bacteria and bacteriophage therapy. We explore the scientific rationale, clinical evidence, and potential mechanisms by which these interventions influence MASLD. The gut-liver axis is crucial in MASLD, with notable changes in microbiome composition linked to disease progression. For instance, specific microbial profiles and reduced alpha diversity are associated with MASLD severity. Therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiome could modulate disease progression by improving gut permeability, reducing endotoxin-producing bacteria, and altering bile acid metabolism. Although promising, these therapies require further research to fully understand their mechanisms and optimize their efficacy. This review integrates findings from clinical trials and experimental studies, providing a comprehensive overview of microbiome-centered therapies' potential in managing MASLD. Future research should focus on personalized strategies, utilizing microbiome features, blood metabolites, and customized dietary interventions to enhance the effectiveness of these therapies.
代谢功能障碍相关脂肪性肝病(MASLD)是一个重大的全球健康问题,由于肥胖和2型糖尿病等代谢危险因素的患病率不断上升,全球超过30%的人口受到影响。这种肝病谱范围从单纯性脂肪变性到更严重的形式,如脂肪性肝炎、纤维化和肝硬化。最近的研究强调了肠道微生物群在MASLD发病机制中的作用,表明生态失调会显著影响代谢健康和肝病进展。这篇综述批判性地评估了目前以微生物群为中心的MASLD治疗方法,包括益生元、益生菌、合生元、粪便微生物群移植,以及工程菌和噬菌体疗法等新兴疗法。我们探讨了这些干预措施影响MASLD的科学原理、临床证据和潜在机制。肠-肝轴在MASLD中至关重要,微生物群组成的显著变化与疾病进展有关。例如,特定的微生物谱和α多样性降低与MASLD的严重程度相关。针对微生物群的治疗策略可以通过改善肠道通透性、减少产生内毒素的细菌和改变胆汁酸代谢来调节疾病进展。尽管这些疗法很有前景,但需要进一步研究以充分了解其机制并优化其疗效。这篇综述整合了临床试验和实验研究的结果,全面概述了以微生物群为中心的疗法在管理MASLD方面的潜力。未来的研究应侧重于个性化策略,利用微生物群特征、血液代谢物和定制的饮食干预措施来提高这些疗法的有效性。