Korean researchers link gut microbes to chronic liver disease

Kwak Min-jin / Courtesy of Kookmin University

Researchers in Korea have identified a specific mechanism by which gut bacteria drive the progression of chronic liver disease, a discovery that may lead to the development of a noninvasive diagnostic tool to replace painful biopsies.

The study, led by Kwak Min-jin, a professor at Kookmin University, uncovers how the delicate interplay between microbes and the liver influences metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. By mapping this “gut-liver axis,” the team found they could not only track the severity of the progressive condition — which often leads to cirrhosis or liver cancer — but also potentially suppress its development.

The findings were published in Pharmacological Research, an international journal in pharmacology.

The researchers said they tracked changes in gut microbiota using animal models and found that Romboutsia hominis increased as the disease progressed, worsening fat accumulation and inflammation in the liver through tumor necrosis factor signaling pathways.

By contrast, Akkermansia muciniphila and extracellular vesicles derived from the bacterium reduced fat accumulation by suppressing genes linked to lipid production, the team said.

The study also demonstrated that extracellular vesicles released by gut bacteria can cross biological barriers and directly regulate liver metabolism, offering new insight into disease mechanisms.

In a separate advance, the researchers said they developed a machine learning-based diagnostic model combining gut microbiome data and blood analysis, achieving more than 90 percent accuracy in identifying MASH without invasive procedures such as liver biopsies.

Kwak said the findings highlight the potential for next-generation diagnostic services using stool or blood samples to monitor liver health, while also suggesting new therapeutic strategies targeting gut microbes and their byproducts.