Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41146521›Full record

ArticleClinical and molecular hepatology2026

Bacteroides eggerthii ameliorates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease through host-microbe signaling and highlights 2-hydroxyisocaproate as a potential effector.

Jiyi Choi, Moon Gyeong Yoon, Se Ha Jang, Geum Ok Baek, Hyun Sun Jung, Na-Rae Lee, Choong Hwan Lee, Ji Eun Han, Jae Youn Cheong, Jung Woo Eun and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical and molecular hepatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Gut microbes · 2026
    Article
  2. GutiMeta · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Jiyi ChoiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.
Moon Gyeong YoonDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.
Se Ha JangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.
Geum Ok BaekDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.
Hyun Sun JungDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.
Na-Rae LeeMetaMass Corp., Seoul, Korea.
Choong Hwan LeeMetaMass Corp., Seoul, Korea.
Ji Eun HanDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.
Jae Youn CheongDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.
Jung Woo EunDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.
Soon Sun KimDepartment of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Seoul, Korea.

Funding

Korea Health Industry Development InstituteMinistry of Health and Welfare RS-2023-KH136690Ministry of Science and ICTNational Research Foundation of Korea RS-2022-NR070489National Research Foundation of Korea RS-2025-00521818National Research Foundation of Korea RS-2025-00562556
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

aimsGut microbiome plays a pivotal role in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) pathogenesis, yet, associated functional mechanisms and host responses of specific microbial species remain insufficiently characterized. This study investigated the Bacteroides eggerthii therapeutic effects on MASLD by integrating multi-omics analysis and experimental validation in a Western diet (WD)-induced mouse model.

methodsCandidate strains were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal samples from individuals with and without MASLD or obesity. B. eggerthii, a species significantly depleted in both groups, was selected for functional evaluation. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a WD or WD supplemented with B. eggerthii (WD+B) for 12 weeks. Liver histology, serum biochemistry, fecal microbiome and metabolome profiling, and hepatic and intestinal transcriptomic analyses were performed. Anti-steatotic effects of B. eggerthii-derived metabolites were validated in vitro.

resultsBacteroides eggerthii supplementation significantly improved liver weight, inflammation, fibrosis, and steatosis in WD+B group compared to WD alone. PICRUSt-based LEfSe analysis revealed choloylglycine hydrolase activity enrichment in gut microbiota, and strain-specific qPCR confirmed colonization in mouse colon. Integrated transcriptomic analyses revealed lipid and bile acid signaling pathway restoration, including CD36, FXR, and FGF15. Untargeted metabolomics identified elevated 2-hydroxyisocaproic acid (HICA) as a strain-derived metabolite in feces and B. eggerthii culture supernatants. In vitro, HICA significantly reduced lipid accumulation in free fatty acid-induced steatosis models.

conclusionsBacteroides eggerthii ameliorates MASLD via gut-liver axis modulation, including bile acid metabolism and hepatic lipid signaling. These underscore its therapeutic potential and highlight HICA as a novel microbiome-derived metabolite with anti-steatotic activity.

Indexed as

BacteroidesFatty LiverHost Microbial InteractionsAnimalsDiet, WesternDisease Models, AnimalFecesGastrointestinal MicrobiomeHumansLiverMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLSignal Transduction2-Hydroxyisocaproic acidBacteroides eggerthiiGut microbiomeMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseaseObesity

Identifiers

PMID41146521
PMCPMC12835788

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.