Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Hepatol. May 27, 2024; 16(5): 688-702
Published online May 27, 2024. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v16.i5.688
Multifunctional role of oral bacteria in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
En-Hua Mei, Chao Yao, Yi-Nan Chen, Shun-Xue Nan, Sheng-Cai Qi
En-Hua Mei, Yi-Nan Chen, Shun-Xue Nan, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China
En-Hua Mei, Chao Yao, Sheng-Cai Qi, Department of Prothodontics, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China
En-Hua Mei, Chao Yao, Sheng-Cai Qi, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxiofacial Development and Diseases, Fudan University, Shanghai 200000, China
Author contributions: Mei EH conceptualized the study, drafted the manuscript, and performed data analysis; Yao C and Chen YN assisted with data collection and interpretation; Nan SH contributed to the methodology design; Qi SC reviewed and edited the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Sheng-Cai Qi, PhD, Attending Doctor, Department of Prothodontics, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital, Fudan University, No. 356 East Beijing Road, Shanghai 200000, China. dentistqi@163.com
Received: December 7, 2023
Revised: February 26, 2024
Accepted: April 7, 2024
Published online: May 27, 2024
Processing time: 166 Days and 19.9 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a significant concern within the realm of chronic liver diseases, notably affecting economic health. The disruption of intestinal flora balance by oral bacteria accelerates the progression of NAFLD. Moreover, through the inflamed oral mucosa, these bacteria and their virulence factors may enter the bloodstream, leading to systemic inflammation. Therefore, an innovative therapeutic approach for NAFLD involves strategic adjustments to the microbial balance within the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. This review succinctly delineates the roles and mechanisms of oral bacteria in NAFLD, providing a foundational framework for future therapeutic strategies.