Gut microbiome-driven Pathogenesis and Intervention Strategies in Liver Diseases

Liver diseases, including conditions such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), alcoholic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, are primarily characterized by hepatocellular injury, inflammatory cell infiltration, and hepatic stellate cell activation. These conditions progressively impair liver function and compromise structural integrity, contributing to over 2 million deaths annually worldwide, accounting for roughly 4% of global mortality. Emerging evidence highlights the gut microbiome as a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis, progression, and management of liver diseases. The gut-liver axis, a complex and bidirectional network involving portal circulation, immune modulation, and microbial metabolites, has been found to influence liver disease pathogenesis and progression significantly. Disruptions in the gut microbiota and an impaired intestinal barrier can lead to bacterial translocation, endotoxemia, and systemic inflammation, exacerbating liver injury. Microbial metabolites further shape crucial hepatic processes such as metabolism, immune balance, and fibrogenesis, impacting disease outcomes and potential therapeutic interventions.

This Research Topic aims to delve deeper into the intricate interactions between the gut microbiota and liver diseases to facilitate advancements in novel prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. By unraveling the microbiota-driven mechanisms underlying liver diseases, this research seeks to pave the way for microbiome-targeted interventions that restore gut-liver homeostasis, mitigate disease progression, and improve patient outcomes.

To gather further insights into the complexities of microbiota-liver disease interactions, we welcome articles addressing both the scope and boundaries of this research, including but not limited to the following themes:
o Characterization and functional mechanisms of gut microbiota and its metabolites associated with liver diseases.
o Role of gut microbiota and its derivatives in early diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognosis of liver diseases.
o Therapeutic potential of probiotics, prebiotics, and post-probiotics in the treatment of liver diseases, particularly their anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-cancer effects.
o Multi-omics studies exploring the gut-liver axis in liver diseases.
o Interactions between the gut microbiome and immune system in liver diseases.
o The influence of bile acid signaling in liver diseases

Keywords: Gut microbiome; liver diseases; functional mechanism; biomarker; therapeutic potential.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.