Author information
1 Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Parenteral Nutrition, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA.
2 The Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
3 University of California Los Angeles Microbiome Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Abstract
This invited minireview for the upcoming thematic issue on the microbiome addresses the role of the microbiome in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The incidence of NAFLD has increased greatly in recent years in parallel with the rise in obesity and is now believed to have a population prevalence of 20-40%. It is anticipated to soon become the primary cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality, and unfortunately, there are few treatment options. Therefore, there is a critical need for improved understanding of NAFLD pathophysiology to provide new avenues for therapeutic intervention. In this paper, we have reviewed evidence from human and animal model studies that have associated microbiome composition and microbial metabolites with development and progression of NAFLD. We have also discussed proposed mechanisms by which the microbiome could contribute to NAFLDpathogenesis and addressed future directions for this field.