Preliminary insights into gut microbiome shifts as screening proxy for MASLD disease progression.
Por:
Llirós Dupré M, Buxó M, Virolés S, Pujolassos M, Serra I, Martínez J, Lluansí A, Bahí A, Calle M and Aldeguer X
Publicada:
6 mar 2026
Ahead of Print:
6 mar 2026
Resumen:
Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), a metabolic syndrome with chronic excessive non-alcohol related triglyceride accumulation in liver cells, is characterised by a gradient of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis which lead to hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical diagnosis is commonly based on non-invasive imaging methods, but definitive and conclusive diagnostic is achieved throughout invasive liver biopsy. Recent research pointed to an association between unbalanced gut microbiome and MASLD pathogenesis. In this prospective pilot study we dissect the gradual disease phenotypes as per common clinical practices and gut microbiome profiling based on 16 S rRNA gene sequencing of stool samples from a set of 8 healthy and 46 MASLD-diagnosed individuals. Results evidenced gut microbiome shifts (both a reduction of microbial diversity and richness) as liver damage severity increases with respect to control subjects. Additionally, microbiome compositional data balancing revealed a slight discriminatory capacity between controls and patients’ groups or between patients groups, but with low power due to the reduced sample size. All in all, non-invasive proxies based on gut microbiome analyses might be useful as complementary tools for MASLD patients stratification and discrimination.
Filiaciones:
Llirós Dupré M:
Digestive diseases and microbiota, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Salt, Catalunya, Spain
Bioinformatics and Bioimaging (BI-SQUARED) Research Group, Biosciences Department, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya, Vic, Catalunya, Spain
Institut de Recerca i Innovació en Ciències de la Vida i de la Salut a la Catalunya Central (IRIS-CC), Vic, Catalunya, Spain
Buxó M:
Statistical Unit, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Edifici M2, Salt, Catalunya, Spain
Virolés S:
Digestive diseases and microbiota, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Salt, Catalunya, Spain
Digestive Service, Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr Josep Trueta, Girona, Catalunya, Spain
Pujolassos M:
Bioinformatics and Bioimaging (BI-SQUARED) Research Group, Biosciences Department, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya, Vic, Catalunya, Spain
Institut de Recerca i Innovació en Ciències de la Vida i de la Salut a la Catalunya Central (IRIS-CC), Vic, Catalunya, Spain
Serra I:
Digestive diseases and microbiota, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Salt, Catalunya, Spain
Digestive Service, Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr Josep Trueta, Girona, Catalunya, Spain
Martínez J:
Statistical Unit, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Edifici M2, Salt, Catalunya, Spain
Lluansí A:
Infectious Diseases and Microbiome Research Group, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
Digestive diseases and microbiota, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Salt, Catalunya, Spain
Bahí A:
Digestive diseases and microbiota, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Salt, Catalunya, Spain
Calle M:
Bioinformatics and Bioimaging (BI-SQUARED) Research Group, Biosciences Department, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya, Vic, Catalunya, Spain
Institut de Recerca i Innovació en Ciències de la Vida i de la Salut a la Catalunya Central (IRIS-CC), Vic, Catalunya, Spain
Aldeguer X:
Digestive diseases and microbiota, Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI-CERCA), Salt, Catalunya, Spain
Digestive Service, Hospital Universitari de Girona Dr Josep Trueta, Girona, Catalunya, Spain
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