Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2025

Human Liver Microphysiological System for Assessing Drug-Induced Liver Toxicity In Vitro
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Human Liver Microphysiological System for Assessing Drug-Induced Liver Toxicity In Vitro

Published on: January 31, 2022

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Gut-Liver Axis as a Therapeutic Target for Drug-Induced Liver Injury

Wenjing Tao1, Qiwen Fan1, Jintao Wei1

  • 1Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Embryo and Molecular Breeding, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China.

Current Issues in Molecular Biology
|February 23, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) disrupts the gut-liver axis, impacting gut microbiota and intestinal permeability. Therapies targeting this axis show promise for managing DILI.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology and Hepatology
  • Microbiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) presents diagnostic and mechanistic challenges.
  • The gut-liver axis, crucial for liver health, is implicated in DILI pathogenesis.
  • Disruptions include altered gut microbiota, increased intestinal permeability, and impaired bile acid metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of the gut-liver axis in DILI pathogenesis.
  • To explore therapeutic strategies for DILI by modulating the gut-liver axis.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive review of clinical and preclinical studies.
  • Analysis of evidence linking gut-liver axis alterations to DILI.
  • Evaluation of potential DILI therapies targeting gut-liver axis function.

Main Results:

  • DILI is associated with significant gut-liver axis dysregulation.
  • Specific alterations include gut dysbiosis, increased intestinal permeability, and disturbed bile acid homeostasis.
  • These changes contribute to the development and progression of DILI.

Conclusions:

  • The gut-liver axis is a critical factor in DILI.
  • Therapeutic interventions aimed at restoring gut-liver axis balance offer potential for DILI treatment.
  • Strategies include phytochemicals, probiotics, fecal microbial transplantation, postbiotics, bile acids, and FXR agonists.
Keywords:
bile aciddrug-induced liver injurygut microbiotagut–liver axismetabolites

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