NEW research has uncovered robust and highly specific gut microbiome signatures linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), shedding light on its complex pathogenesis and potential for microbiome-based therapeutics. The study analysed metagenomic data from over 1,200 individuals and used machine learning to distinguish NAFLD from other metabolic conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), hypertension, and atherosclerosis.
NAFLD, affecting nearly 30% of the global population, has been increasingly associated with gut bacterial composition. However, pinpointing specific microbial markers for the disease has been difficult due to its frequent overlap with other metabolic disorders. Led by Emmanouil Nychas and colleagues, this study overcame these challenges by integrating bacterial taxonomy data, metabolic community outputs, and detailed clinical profiles of Chinese individuals with and without metabolic diseases.
The researchers identified unique gut microbiome signatures that were highly predictive of NAFLD, with machine learning models achieving an accuracy of 84.5–91.7%. Crucially, these signatures were generalisable across different populations while remaining highly specific to NAFLD, avoiding misclassification with other metabolic diseases. A deeper community-based analysis also revealed distinct microbial consortia linked to NAFLD in both overweight and lean individuals, suggesting different gut microbial dynamics depending on body composition.
These findings highlight the potential of microbiome-targeted therapies for NAFLD. Rather than focusing on individual bacterial species, the study suggests that therapeutic strategies should consider broader microbial communities that interact within the gut ecosystem.
By offering a clearer picture of the microbial underpinnings of NAFLD, this research paves the way for microbiome-based diagnostic tools and personalised treatment approaches. The discovery of these microbiome signatures may also contribute to a better understanding of gut-liver interactions and the development of precision medicine strategies for metabolic diseases.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Nychas E et al. Discovery of robust and highly specific microbiome signatures of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Microbiome. 2025;DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01990-y.
