Regulatory mechanism of bacteriophages in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and their application prospects in treatment
- VernacularTitle:噬菌体在代谢相关脂肪性肝病中的调控机制及治疗应用前景
- Author:
Yongshan LUO
1
;
Huiting CHEN
1
Author Information
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords: Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease; Bacteriophage; Gut-liver Axis
- From: Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):676-682
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） is one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide， and currently there is still a lack of effective therapies. Bacteriophages are an important component of gut microbiota， and recent studies have shown that bacteriophages play a pivotal role in the pathological progression of MAFLD by reshaping microbiota structure， modulating intestinal barrier function， and regulating gut-liver axis signaling. Studies have also shown that there is a reduction in the diversity of bacteriophages in MAFLD patients， and the abundance of specific bacteriophages is closely associated with disease severity. The underlying mechanisms of bacteriophages involve the regulation of intestinal barrier， targeted clearance of pathogenic bacteria， promotion of the colonization of probiotic bacteria， and modulation of immune responses and the release of inflammatory cytokines. Animal models and preclinical trials have shown that targeted bacteriophage intervention strategies are expected to alleviate liver inflammation， improve steatosis， and ameliorate metabolic disorders. However， there are still challenges such as drug resistance of bacteriophage， the complexity of host-bacteriophage interactions， and safety issues in clinical translation. This article systematically elaborates on the regulatory mechanisms of bacteriophages in MAFLD and their application prospects in treatment， in order to provide a theoretical reference for future research and the development of bacteriophage-based therapies in this field.
