Lactobacillus attenuates progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by lowering cholesterol and steatosis

Background/Aims Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely related to gut-microbiome. There is a paucity of research on which strains of gut microbiota affect the progression of NAFLD. This study explored the NAFLD-associated microbiome in humans and the role of Lactobacillus in the progression of NAFLD in mice. Methods The gut microbiome was analyzed via next-generation sequencing in healthy people (n=37) and NAFLD patients with elevated liver enzymes (n=57). Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were separated into six groups (n=10 per group; normal, Western, and four Western diet + strains [109 colony-forming units/g for 8 weeks; L. acidophilus, L. fermentum, L. paracasei, and L. plantarum]). Liver/body weight ratio, liver pathology, serum analysis, and metagenomics in the mice were examined. Results Compared to healthy subjects (1.6±4.3), NAFLD patients showed an elevated Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (25.0±29.0) and a reduced composition of Akkermansia and L. murinus (P