The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanism of action and treatment strategy
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma. It poses a significant public health challenge. Growing evidence indicates that the gut mic...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1621583/full |
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| author | Siwen Shen Yao Liu Nuoya Wang Zhenhe Huang Guifang Deng |
| author_facet | Siwen Shen Yao Liu Nuoya Wang Zhenhe Huang Guifang Deng |
| author_sort | Siwen Shen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma. It poses a significant public health challenge. Growing evidence indicates that the gut microbiota plays a key role in the development and progression of NAFLD. Advances in sequencing technologies, microbiome and metabolomics have helped identify characteristic microbial patterns and microbial-derived metabolites associated with NAFLD. The gut-liver axis has emerged as a central pathway linking intestinal microbes to liver function. Microbiota-derived metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, bile acids (BAs), and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), have dual roles in hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and insulin resistance, providing new insight into NAFLD pathogenesis. This review summarizes the mechanisms by which disruptions in the gut-liver axis contribute to NAFLD progression. It also outlines the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of current probiotics, with particular emphasis on next-generation probiotics like Akkermansia muciniphila and the potential benefits of its inactivated forms. Furthermore, we explore the role of prebiotics, plant-derived compounds, and synthetic agents in modulating gut microbiota and liver health. The review highlights key associations between specific bacterial species, microbial metabolites, and NAFLD, offering a theoretical basis for microbiota-targeted precision interventions and new therapeutic directions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9457a2c3f86b4af9939eeccae228cb5d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-9457a2c3f86b4af9939eeccae228cb5d2025-08-20T02:48:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-07-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16215831621583The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanism of action and treatment strategySiwen Shen0Yao Liu1Nuoya Wang2Zhenhe Huang3Guifang Deng4Department of Clinical Nutrition, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, Shenzhen Nanshan People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, ChinaNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma. It poses a significant public health challenge. Growing evidence indicates that the gut microbiota plays a key role in the development and progression of NAFLD. Advances in sequencing technologies, microbiome and metabolomics have helped identify characteristic microbial patterns and microbial-derived metabolites associated with NAFLD. The gut-liver axis has emerged as a central pathway linking intestinal microbes to liver function. Microbiota-derived metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids, bile acids (BAs), and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), have dual roles in hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation, and insulin resistance, providing new insight into NAFLD pathogenesis. This review summarizes the mechanisms by which disruptions in the gut-liver axis contribute to NAFLD progression. It also outlines the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of current probiotics, with particular emphasis on next-generation probiotics like Akkermansia muciniphila and the potential benefits of its inactivated forms. Furthermore, we explore the role of prebiotics, plant-derived compounds, and synthetic agents in modulating gut microbiota and liver health. The review highlights key associations between specific bacterial species, microbial metabolites, and NAFLD, offering a theoretical basis for microbiota-targeted precision interventions and new therapeutic directions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1621583/fullNAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD)prebiotics and probioticsgut-liver axisbile acid |
| spellingShingle | Siwen Shen Yao Liu Nuoya Wang Zhenhe Huang Guifang Deng The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanism of action and treatment strategy Frontiers in Microbiology NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) prebiotics and probiotics gut-liver axis bile acid |
| title | The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanism of action and treatment strategy |
| title_full | The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanism of action and treatment strategy |
| title_fullStr | The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanism of action and treatment strategy |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanism of action and treatment strategy |
| title_short | The role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: mechanism of action and treatment strategy |
| title_sort | role of microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease mechanism of action and treatment strategy |
| topic | NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) prebiotics and probiotics gut-liver axis bile acid |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1621583/full |
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