Microbiota and Gut–Liver Axis: Their Influences on Obesity and Obesity‐Related Liver Disease
Open accessAbstract
A specific bacterial gut microbiota profile with increased extraction of energy has recently been associated with obesity, which has been shown to be a transmissible phenotype by microbiota transplantation. At the same time, there is now increasing evidence that gut microbiota plays a role in the development of hepatic steatosis and its progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. This review summarizes well known and unexpected interacting factors leading to obesity and its related hepatic diseases, including intestinal mucosal permeability and its regulation, gut microbiota and translocation of its biological products, and gut‐associated lymphoid tissue. These intestinal factors dictate also the balance between tolerance and immune response, which are critical for most of the complications in near and far organs or systems. We review novel mechanisms involving the development of gut permeability and adipose tissue plasticity, for example, the cross‐talk between the gut microbiota, lipopolysaccharide, high‐fat diet, and the endocannabinoid system tone, which have not been fully explored. Interactions between gut microbiota and other factors (eg, inflammasome deficiency) also are reviewed as emerging but far from being completely elucidated mechanisms influencing the onset of obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
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A specific microbial taxonomic and functional profile has been associated with obesity and obesity-related liver disease, thus suggesting a link between microbiota and liver pathology.
“A specific microbial taxonomic and functional profile has been associated with obesity [76] and obesity-related liver disease [77] , thus suggesting a link between microbiota and liver pathology [78] .”
From Intestinal microbiota in health and disease: Role of bifidobacteria in gut homeostasis (2014) · cites this paper as [77]
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- Authors
- Vajro, P., Paolella, G., & Fasano, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Salerno (IT)
- Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
- Corresponding author
- Vajro, Pietro
- Paolella, Giulia
- Venue
- Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2013-05
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 461-468
- ISSN
- 0277-2116 (ISSN-L)
- 1536-4801
- PMC
- PMC3637398
- OpenAlex
- W2114602866
- Cited by
- 201
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 6
- FWCI
- 1.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (DK‐48373)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Keywords
- gut microbiota, gut-liver axis, obesity, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatic steatosis, intestinal permeability, gut-associated lymphoid tissue, lipopolysaccharide, endocannabinoid system, high-fat diet, adipose tissue plasticity, inflammasome, microbiota transplantation, energy extraction
- MeSH terms
- Adipose Tissue, Animals, Fatty Liver, Humans, Intestinal Mucosa, Lipopolysaccharides, Liver, Obesity, Gastrointestinal Tract, Metagenome, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
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