Postbiotic gut bacteria site-specific immunomodulators improve liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in obese mice with MASLD

American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism 2026

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Authors: RODRIGO RODRIGUES E-LACERDA, Nicole G. Barra, Meghan O. Conn, Dana Kukje Zada, Nazli Robin, Han Fang, Daniel M. Marko, Neeraja M. Punde, Shirin Kalyan, Hal Gunn, Jonathan D. Schertzer
DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00488.2025
Cited by: 1
References: 35

Abstract

This study demonstrates that site-specific immunomodulators (SSIs), prepared from inactivated bacteria, can attenuate liver steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in a mouse model of obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Gut bacteria-derived SSIs improved hallmarks of MASLD without altering body weight or food intake, but an SSI derived from a bacterium typically pathogenic outside the gut did not alter MASLD. Therefore, gut-derived SSI postbiotics can improve MASLD.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Gut microbiota and health Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Adipokines Inflammation and Metabolic Diseases

Publication details

Journal / source
American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism
Publisher
American Physiological Society
Volume
330
Issue
3
Pages
E267–E275
Publication date
19 January 2026
Language
EN