The role of gut microbiota, exosomes, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ALD

Background: The liver disorders caused by alcohol abuse are termed alcoholic-related liver disease (ALD), including alcoholic steatosis, alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis, posing a significant threat to human health. Currently, ALD pathogenesis has not been comp...

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Main Authors: Zilu Cheng, Ling Yang, Huikuan Chu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Advanced Research
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123224002686
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author Zilu Cheng
Ling Yang
Huikuan Chu
author_facet Zilu Cheng
Ling Yang
Huikuan Chu
author_sort Zilu Cheng
collection DOAJ
description Background: The liver disorders caused by alcohol abuse are termed alcoholic-related liver disease (ALD), including alcoholic steatosis, alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis, posing a significant threat to human health. Currently, ALD pathogenesis has not been completely clarified, which is likely to be related to the direct damage caused by alcohol and its metabolic products, oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, and exosomes. Aims: The existing studies suggest that both the gut microbiota and exosomes contribute to the development of ALD. Moreover, there exists an interaction between the gut microbiota and exosomes. We discuss whether this interaction plays a role in the pathogenesis of ALD and whether it can be a potential therapeutic target for ALD treatment. Key scientific concepts of review: Chronic alcohol intake alters the diversity and composition of gut microbiota, which greatly contributes to ALD’s progression. Some approaches targeting the gut microbiota, including probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and phage therapy, have been confirmed to effectively ameliorate ALD in many animal experiments and/or several clinical trials. In ALD, the levels of exosomes and the expression profile of microRNA have also changed, which affects the pathogenesis of ALD. Moreover, there is an interplay between exosomes and the gut microbiota, which also putatively acts as a pathogenic factor of ALD.
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spelling doaj-art-1a0c9837ee6e4617a2a7c7bbf6a2c68d2025-08-20T03:08:20ZengElsevierJournal of Advanced Research2090-12322025-06-017235336710.1016/j.jare.2024.07.002The role of gut microbiota, exosomes, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ALDZilu Cheng0Ling Yang1Huikuan Chu2Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430022, ChinaCorresponding authors at: Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430022, China.; Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430022, ChinaCorresponding authors at: Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430022, China.; Division of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430022, ChinaBackground: The liver disorders caused by alcohol abuse are termed alcoholic-related liver disease (ALD), including alcoholic steatosis, alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis, posing a significant threat to human health. Currently, ALD pathogenesis has not been completely clarified, which is likely to be related to the direct damage caused by alcohol and its metabolic products, oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, and exosomes. Aims: The existing studies suggest that both the gut microbiota and exosomes contribute to the development of ALD. Moreover, there exists an interaction between the gut microbiota and exosomes. We discuss whether this interaction plays a role in the pathogenesis of ALD and whether it can be a potential therapeutic target for ALD treatment. Key scientific concepts of review: Chronic alcohol intake alters the diversity and composition of gut microbiota, which greatly contributes to ALD’s progression. Some approaches targeting the gut microbiota, including probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and phage therapy, have been confirmed to effectively ameliorate ALD in many animal experiments and/or several clinical trials. In ALD, the levels of exosomes and the expression profile of microRNA have also changed, which affects the pathogenesis of ALD. Moreover, there is an interplay between exosomes and the gut microbiota, which also putatively acts as a pathogenic factor of ALD.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123224002686Alcoholic-related liver diseaseGut microbiotaExosomes
spellingShingle Zilu Cheng
Ling Yang
Huikuan Chu
The role of gut microbiota, exosomes, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ALD
Journal of Advanced Research
Alcoholic-related liver disease
Gut microbiota
Exosomes
title The role of gut microbiota, exosomes, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ALD
title_full The role of gut microbiota, exosomes, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ALD
title_fullStr The role of gut microbiota, exosomes, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ALD
title_full_unstemmed The role of gut microbiota, exosomes, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ALD
title_short The role of gut microbiota, exosomes, and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ALD
title_sort role of gut microbiota exosomes and their interaction in the pathogenesis of ald
topic Alcoholic-related liver disease
Gut microbiota
Exosomes
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123224002686
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