Fecal microbiota transplantation: A promising treatment strategy for chronic liver disease

Chronic liver disease has become a global health crisis, with increasing incidence and mortality rates placing a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide. A key factor in the progression of chronic liver disease is intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, which influences liver function via the in...

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Published inWorld journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 31; no. 28; p. 105089
Main Authors Ma, Lei, Zhang, Meng-Han, Xu, Yi-Fan, Hao, Yan-Xu, Niu, Xuan-Xuan, Li, Yan, Xing, Hui-Chun
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Baishideng Publishing Group Inc 28.07.2025
Subjects
Animals
Chronic Disease
Clinical Trials as Topic
Dysbiosis - microbiology
Dysbiosis - therapy
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation - adverse effects
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation - methods
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Humans
Liver - microbiology
Liver - pathology
Liver Diseases - microbiology
Liver Diseases - therapy
Minireviews
Treatment Outcome
Liver-gut axis
Chronic liver disease
Fecal microbiota transplantation
Intestinal microbiota
Clinical efficacy
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Summary:Chronic liver disease has become a global health crisis, with increasing incidence and mortality rates placing a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide. A key factor in the progression of chronic liver disease is intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, which influences liver function via the intricate liver-gut axis. This axis plays a central role in various physiological processes, and disruptions in microbial composition can exacerbate liver pathology. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy, with the potential to restore the composition and metabolic functions of the intestinal microbiota. Supported by encouraging findings from clinical trials and animal studies, FMT has demonstrated therapeutic benefits, including improvements in clinical symptoms, objective indicators, and long-term prognosis. These benefits encompass reductions in hepatic lipid deposition and inflammation, mitigation of complications in advanced liver disease, promotion of hepatitis B e antigen seroconversion, and enhancement of cognitive function. Although clinical evidence remains preliminary, current data underscore the transformative potential of FMT in managing chronic liver diseases. Nonetheless, challenges persist, including the need for standardized procedures, variability among donors, potential risks, and concerns regarding long-term safety. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of the current literature on the efficacy and safety of FMT, while exploring future research directions to expand its application in liver disease management.
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Corresponding author: Hui-Chun Xing, MD, PhD, Chief Physician, Professor, Center of Liver Diseases Division 3, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Jingshun East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100015, China. hchxing@sohu.com
Author contributions: Ma L performed the data analysis and drafted the manuscript; Hao YX, Niu XX, and Li Y analyzed and interpreted the data; Zhang MH and Xu YF revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content; Xing HC made substantial contributions to conception and design, and finally approved the version to be published.
Supported by National Key R&D Program of China, No. 2022YFC2304505 and No. 2021YFC2301801; the Beijing Municipal of Science and Technology Major Project, No. Z221100007422002; the Capital Funds for Health Improvement and Research, No. CFH-2024-1-2181; and Beijing Igandan Foundation, No. iGandanF-1082023-GSH011.
ISSN:1007-9327
2219-2840
2219-2840
DOI:10.3748/wjg.v31.i28.105089