Microbiota reprogramming for treatment of alcohol-related liver disease

In the past decade knowledge has expanded regarding the importance of the gut microbiota in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and overall health. During this same time, we have also gained appreciation for the role of the gut-liver axis in the development of liver diseases. Alcohol overconsumption is one of the leading causes of liver failure globally. However, not all people with alcohol use disorder progress to advanced stages of liver disease. With advances in technology to investigate the gut microbiome and metabolome, we are now beginning to delineate alcohol's effects on the gut microbiome in relation to liver disease. This review presents our current understanding on the role of the gut microbiota during alcohol exposure, and various therapeutic attempts that have been made to reprogram the gut microbiota with the goal of alleviating alcoholic-related liver disease.