Microbial Biomarkers for the Prevention and Diagnosis of Alcoholic Liver Disease

Alterations in gut microbiota are closely associated with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) progression. We aimed to identify ALD-related bacterial strains with therapeutic or diagnostic potential. Human fecal samples were analyzed to screen candidate microbes, and an ALD mouse model was used to evaluate their effects. We also assessed bacterial DNA levels in blood to explore diagnostic utility. Lactobacillus helveticus and L. lactis treatment improved gut dysbiosis and reduced hepatic inflammation and endotoxemia. In contrast, Veillonella dispar, which is significantly enriched in ALD patients, had no beneficial effects in vivo. Instead, V. dispar abundance in blood distinguished ALD patients from controls with an area under the ROC curve of 0.815. These findings suggest that L. helveticus and L. lactis may be effective probiotics for ALD, while V. dispar may serve as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker. Targeting microbiota may offer a new approach for ALD prevention and diagnosis.