The Intestinal Microbiome in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in North America and is growing as a cause of chronic liver disease in many other parts of the world as well. It has 2 principal clinical-pathologic phenotypes: (1) nonalcoholic fatty liver and (2) nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The development of both phenotypes is tightly linked to excess body weight and insulin resistance. This review discusses the emerging tools for the analysis of the microbiome, their limitations, and the existing literature with respect to the intestinal microbiome and their role in nonalcoholic fatty liver.

Keywords: 16S pyrosequencing; Cirrhosis; Innate immune system; Intestinal permeability; Microbiome; Microbiota; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.