Fig. 2.

Schematic view of the role of the microbiome in gut permeability and NAFLD development. On the left side, the gut–liver axis components are operating normally; on the right side, NAFLD status is shown. The dysbiotic microbiome, together with the changed intestinal barrier due to the malfunction of the tight junctions, facilitates the translocation of some bacterial products into the portal vein. These bacterial products interact with Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on the surface of the hepatic cells, which leads to inflammation and NAFLD development