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The Gut Microbiome and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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Abstract

The microbiome modulates key processes in metabolism, inflammation, and immunity and plays pivotal roles in many gastrointestinal and liver diseases. Recent experimental studies have demonstrated a key role of the microbiome in hepatocarcinogenesis. Dysfunctions of the gut bacterial flora have a significant effect on liver disease. Dysbiosis is found to be associated with chronic liver diseases. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The majority of HCC develops in patients with chronic liver disease, caused by chronic viral hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and alcohol-related fatty liver disease. This review discusses molecular mechanisms of gut microbiome–related hepatocarcinogenesis and the impact of dysbiosis on chronic liver disease progression.

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Abbreviations

BAs:

Bile acids

CCL4 :

Carbon tetrachloride

CLD:

Chronic liver disease

DCA:

Deoxycholic acid

DEN:

Diethylnitrosamine

DMBA:

7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene

Ereg:

Epiregulin

EtOH:

Ethanol

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

HSCs:

Hepatic stellate cells

LPS:

Lipopolysaccharide

LSECs:

Liver sinusoidal cells

LTA:

Lipoteichoic acid

MAMPs:

Microbiota-associated molecular patterns

MDSCs:

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells

nAFLD:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

NASH:

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

NKT:

Natural killer T cell

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SASP:

Senescence-associated secretory phenotype

SCFAs:

Short-chain fatty acids

TLR:

Toll-like receptor

TMA:

Trimethylamine

TMAO:

Trimethylamine N-oxide

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  1. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of Çukurova, Adana, Turkey

    Hikmet Akkız

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This is part of Topical Collection: Clinical and basic research on hepatocellular carcinoma in Turkey.

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Akkız, H. The Gut Microbiome and Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Gastrointest Canc 52, 1314–1319 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-021-00748-1

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