| Theme | Roles and Importance of Microbiota in Clinical Medicine | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Gut Microbiota and Liver Disease | |
| Publish Date | 2017/09 | |
| Author | Kengo Tomita | Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College |
| Author | Ryota Hokari | Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College |
| [ Summary ] | The liver is an organ that is supplied with blood flow directly from the intestinal tract via the portal vein. Recent studies have shown that the pathophysiology of liver diseases/liver cancer is strongly influenced by the composition of the gut microbiota, bacterial components, products, and metabolites. Dysbiosis, an ecological disorder of the bacterial community, has a great impact on several factors, including content of pathogen‒associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the intestine, and promotes intestinal permeability (leaky gut) which modulates the development of liver pathology through portal blood flow. The establishment of new therapeutic modalities such as prebiotics, probiotics, antibiotics, and FMT targeting gut microbiota is expected in the future. | |