Research Progress on the Role of Gut Microbiota in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Sepsis-associated Liver Injury

Sepsis is characterized by a dysregulation of immune response to infection, leading to life-threatening organ dysfunction. Sepsis-associated liver injury (SALI) is considered an independent risk factor for predicting death in the intensive care unit (ICU). With the increasing number of studies on the gut-liver axis in recent years, the close linkage of gut microbiota and liver diseases has been gradually revealed. Dysbiosis of gut microbiota has been shown to induce SALI through the mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear transcription factorκB (MAPK/NF-κB) signaling pathway and damage to the intestinal barrier. Meanwhile, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and the application of probiotics have great potential in the treatment of SALI. This paper reviews the relevant research progress in recent years both at home and abroad, in order to provide new insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of SALI.