Currently, alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide, representing one of the main etiologies of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although we do not know ...Currently, alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide, representing one of the main etiologies of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although we do not know the exact mechanisms by which only a selected group of patients with ALD progress to the final stage of HCC, the role of the gut microbiota within the progression to HCC has been intensively studied in recent years. To date, we know that alcohol-induced gut dysbiosis is an important feature of ALD with important repercussions on the severity of this disease. In essence, an increased metabolism of ethanol in the gut induced by an excessive alcohol consumption promotes gut dysfunction and bacterial overgrowth, setting a leaky gut. This causes the translocation of bacteria, endotoxins, and ethanol metabolites across the enterohepatic circulation reaching the liver, where the recognition of the pathogen-associated molecular patterns via specific Toll-like receptors of liver cells will induce the activation of the nuclear factor kappa-B pathway, which releases pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In addition, the mitogenic activity of hepatocytes will be promoted and cellular apoptosis will be inhibited, resulting in the development of HCC. In this context, it is not surprising that microbiota-regulating drugs have proven effectiveness in prolonging the overall survival of patients with HCC, making attractive the implementation of these drugs as co-adjuvant for HCC treatment.展开更多
As of today, March 30, 2020, when this Editorial is being written, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causal agent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been confirmed in more than 7...As of today, March 30, 2020, when this Editorial is being written, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causal agent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been confirmed in more than 745,000 cases worldwide and has claimed the lives of more than 35,000 people.1 In addition to the morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19, this betacoronavirus has placed several of the world's major economies in strife, mainly in Western Europe and North America, paralyzing travel and regular social interactions, making COVID-19 undoubtedly one of the most important pandemics in human history.展开更多
基金This work was supported partially by Medica Sur Clinic&Foundation.This work was supported in part by a research grant R01 DK114516(to DQ-HW)from the National Institutes of Health(US Public Health Service)
文摘Currently, alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide, representing one of the main etiologies of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although we do not know the exact mechanisms by which only a selected group of patients with ALD progress to the final stage of HCC, the role of the gut microbiota within the progression to HCC has been intensively studied in recent years. To date, we know that alcohol-induced gut dysbiosis is an important feature of ALD with important repercussions on the severity of this disease. In essence, an increased metabolism of ethanol in the gut induced by an excessive alcohol consumption promotes gut dysfunction and bacterial overgrowth, setting a leaky gut. This causes the translocation of bacteria, endotoxins, and ethanol metabolites across the enterohepatic circulation reaching the liver, where the recognition of the pathogen-associated molecular patterns via specific Toll-like receptors of liver cells will induce the activation of the nuclear factor kappa-B pathway, which releases pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In addition, the mitogenic activity of hepatocytes will be promoted and cellular apoptosis will be inhibited, resulting in the development of HCC. In this context, it is not surprising that microbiota-regulating drugs have proven effectiveness in prolonging the overall survival of patients with HCC, making attractive the implementation of these drugs as co-adjuvant for HCC treatment.
文摘As of today, March 30, 2020, when this Editorial is being written, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causal agent of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been confirmed in more than 745,000 cases worldwide and has claimed the lives of more than 35,000 people.1 In addition to the morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19, this betacoronavirus has placed several of the world's major economies in strife, mainly in Western Europe and North America, paralyzing travel and regular social interactions, making COVID-19 undoubtedly one of the most important pandemics in human history.
