{
  "abstract": "The liver is a leading target for distant metastasis across multiple cancer types, and liver metastasis invariably portends poor prognosis. The formation of pre-metastatic niches (PMNs) within the hepatic microenvironment creates a permissive “soil” for disseminated tumor cells. However, how the gut-liver axis integrates microbial and metabolic signals to remodel the hepatic PMN remains incompletely understood. In this review, we delineate the six hallmark features of PMN assembly, with an emphasis on the complex crosstalk among gut microbiota, their bioactive metabolites, and resident liver cells—including hepatocytes and hepatic immune populations. Notably, these elements engage in a dynamic, reciprocally regulated network characterized by bidirectional feedback loops, rather than a linear signaling cascade. We further survey the emerging landscape of diagnostic biomarkers, including exosomal microRNAs and neutrophil extracellular traps, alongside microbiota-targeted therapeutic interventions. This framework provides testable hypotheses for early interception of liver metastasis and highlights precision medicine opportunities targeting the gut-liver-immune axis.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine",
    "Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine",
    "Qi - Huang Chinese Medicine School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine",
    "Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital",
    "The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital)",
    "Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University",
    "Department of Oncology, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences"
  ],
  "article_type": "review article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 11,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Leyi Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Qiutong Lin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Danyuan Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Yani Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Mingtong Zong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Lingze Xi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Feiyu Xie"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Shuyi Song"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Peng Xue"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Shijie Zhu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Xuelei Chu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6q1d284rrazm2.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fmicb.2026.1931054",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13717628/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "6q1d284rrazm2",
  "issns": [
    "1664-302X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1931054/full",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Review"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Gut microbiota and health"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222161882",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1931054/pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13717628",
  "pmid": "42959523",
  "published": "2026-10-15",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6q1d284rrazm2.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:12Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fmicb.2026.1931054",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1931054/full"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T00:20:37Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13717628",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13717628"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-01T00:20:52Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42959523",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42959523"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-02T12:21:55Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13717628",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1931054"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1312|Gut microbiota and health",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Gut-liver axis in liver pre-metastatic niche formation: immune networks, microbial, and metabolic and emerging therapeutic opportunities",
  "title_text": "Gut-liver axis in liver pre-metastatic niche formation: immune networks, microbial, and metabolic and emerging therapeutic opportunities",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-02T12:21:55Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6q1d284rrazm2",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Microbiology",
  "versions": []
}