{
  "abstract": "Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), recently renamed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic fatty liver disease, is a highly prevalent metabolic liver disorder, closely linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and chronic low-grade inflammation. While traditionally viewed through the liver-adipose-gut axes, emerging evidence identifies the liver-spleen axis as a critical pathway in disease progression. This review examines the anatomical and portal vascular connections that facilitate direct communication between these organs, focusing on how splenic immune reprogramming—specifically involving myeloid-derived suppressor cells, natural killer/natural killer T cells, and pro-inflammatory signaling—drives the transition from simple steatosis to advanced cirrhosis. We further explore the diagnostic utility of splenic volume, metabolic activity, and stiffness as non-invasive markers that correlate with the severity of hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension. In conclusion, the spleen serves as a vital immunometabolic regulatory hub and a sentinel for hepatic stress. Recognizing this axis offers significant potential for precision diagnostics and novel therapeutic interventions. Future research should focus on longitudinal intervention trials and multi-omics studies to fully decode the signaling crosstalk within the NAFLD spectrum, shifting the management of the disease toward a more systemic, integrated approach.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 2,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Giovanni Tarantino",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4014-5824"
    },
    {
      "name": "Vincenzo Citro"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3et61h0qjdsnb.bib",
  "cited_by": 18,
  "doi": "10.3748/wjg.119467",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "3et61h0qjdsnb",
  "issns": [
    "1007-9327",
    "2219-2840"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.119467",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2713|Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2721|Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7163188631",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-06-02",
  "publisher": "Baishideng Publishing Group",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3et61h0qjdsnb.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:26:54Z",
      "native_id": "W7163188631",
      "source": "openalex",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.119467"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2713|Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Liver-spleen axis: Deciphering a crucial crosstalk in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression and therapeutic implications",
  "title_text": "Liver-spleen axis: Deciphering a crucial crosstalk in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression and therapeutic implications",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-07T13:20:57Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3et61h0qjdsnb",
  "venue": "World Journal of Gastroenterology",
  "versions": []
}