Expert Opinion
Role of gut-liver-immune axis in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
Shao Li, Song Yu, Shi Junping
Published 2021-06-20
Cite as Chin J Hepatol, 2021, 29(6): 505-509. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn501113-20210430-00215
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease in the world. Liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and a variety of extrahepatic chronic diseases are important risk factors for NAFLD. Currently, there is still a lack of effective therapeutic drugs. Liver inflammation is a key driving factor for the progression of NAFLD, so regulating liver inflammation may provide a potential means to delay and reverse the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Studies have found that the gut-liver-immune axis plays an important role in the progression of NASH. Gut microbiota can use its metabolites to induce glycolipid toxicity, oxidative stress and intestinal barrier damage, while bacterial components such as lipopolysaccharides, peptidoglycans, bacterial DNA and extracellular vesicles can translocate into the liver through the damaged intestinal barrier, causing excessive activation of immune cells, thus aggravating liver inflammation and promoting the progress of NASH. This paper focuses on the gut-liver-immune axis to analyze the gut microbiota mediated liver immunity and its mechanism in the occurrence and development of NASH, so as to lay a theoretical foundation for the research and development of new therapeutic strategies for NASH.
Key words:
Fatty liver; Inflammation; Gut-liver axis; Gut-liver-immune axis
Contributor Information
Shao Li
The Affiliated Hospital &
Institute of Hepatology and Metabolic Disease, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310014, China
Song Yu
Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310053, China
Shi Junping
The Affiliated Hospital &
Institute of Hepatology and Metabolic Disease, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310014, China