The Liver Meeting 2019-Drugs Targeted at the Gut-liver Axis

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Video Summary

The speaker discusses the role of the gut microbiome in alcoholic liver disease, focusing on the gut-liver axis. Dysbiosis, characterized by microbial imbalances, contributes to the disease by producing harmful substances like LPS and acetaldehyde while reducing beneficial metabolites. This dysbiosis leads to a leaky gut, allowing toxins to reach the liver and trigger inflammation. Various treatments targeting the microbiome are explored, including antibiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation. The use of engineered bacteria to produce beneficial metabolites is also discussed. The speaker highlights the potential of precision medicine approaches like targeting specific harmful bacteria with bacteriophages. Lastly, the impact of bile acid signaling and ongoing clinical trials in the context of alcoholic liver disease treatment are considered.

Asset Caption

Presenter: Bernd Schnabl

Keywords

gut microbiome

alcoholic liver disease

gut-liver axis

dysbiosis

precision medicine