Advances in the acting mechanism and treatment of gut microbiota in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Gut Microbes. 2025 Dec;17(1):2500099. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2025.2500099. Epub 2025 May 20.

Abstract

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease(MASLD) is increasing in prevalence worldwide and has become the greatest potential risk for cirrhosis and hepatocellular liver cancer. Currently, the role of gut microbiota in the development of MASLD has become a research hotspot. The development of MASLD can affect the homeostasis of gut microbiota, and significant changes in the composition or abundance of gut microbiota and its metabolite abnormalities can influence disease progression. The regulation of gut microbiota is an important strategy and novel target for the treatment of MASLD with good prospects. In this paper, we summarize the role of gut microbiota and its metabolites in the pathogenesis of MASLD, and describe the potential preventive and therapeutic efficacy of gut microbiota as a noninvasive marker to regulate the pathogenesis of MASLD based on the "gut-hepatic axis", which will provide new therapeutic ideas for the clinic.

Keywords: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease; gut microbiota; gut-liver axis; metabolites; probiotics.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dysbiosis / microbiology
  • Fatty Liver* / metabolism
  • Fatty Liver* / microbiology
  • Fatty Liver* / therapy
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome* / physiology
  • Humans
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* / microbiology