Review Targeting Gut–Liver Axis for Treatment of Liver Fibrosis and Portal Hypertension Eric Kalo 1 , Scott Read 1,2,3,† and Golo Ahlenstiel 1,2,3,*,† 1 Blacktown Clinical School, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Blacktown, NSW 2148, Australia;
[email protected] (E.K.);
[email protected] (S.R.) 2 Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown, NSW 2148, Australia 3 Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +61-2-9851-6073; Fax: +61-2-9851-6050 † These authors contribute equally to this work. Abstract: Antifibrotic therapies for the treatment of liver fibrosis represent an unconquered area of drug development. The significant involvement of the gut microbiota as a driving force in a multitude of liver disease, be it pathogenesis or fibrotic progression, suggest that targeting the gut–liver axis, relevant signaling pathways, and/or manipulation of the gut’s commensal microbial composition and its metabolites may offer opportunities for biomarker discovery, novel therapies and personalized medicine development. Here, we review potential links between bacterial translocation and deficits of host-microbiome compartmentalization and liver fibrosis that occur in settings of advanced chronic liver disease. We discuss established and emerging therapeutic strategies, translated from our current knowledge of the gut–liver axis, targeted at restoring intestinal eubiosis, ameliorating hepatic fibrosis and rising portal hypertension that characterize and define the course of decompensated cirrhosis. Keywords: liver fibrosis; portal hypertension; microbiota; cirrhosis; chronic liver disease; gut–liver Citation: Kalo, E.; Read, S.; Ahlenstiel, G. Targeting Gut–Liver axis; bacterial translocation; hepatic macrophages; PRRs; TLRs Axis for Treatment of Liver Fibrosis and Portal Hypertension.