Small-Intestinal Motility Interrelates With Fecal Microbiota, Metabolites and Metabolic Tissue Gene Expression in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease
7 affiliations
- 1Vascular Medicine and Amsterdam the Netherlands
- 2Experimental Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam the Netherlands
- 3Amsterdam Gastroenterology Endocrinology Metabolism Research Institute Amsterdam the Netherlands
- 4School of Medicine, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland Kuopio Finland
- 5Afekta Technologies Ltd. Kuopio Finland
- 6Department of Life Technologies, Food Sciences Unit, University of Turku Turku Finland
- 7Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam the Netherlands
Abstract
Background/Aims: Recent studies show that the gut microbiota may affect both small-intestinal motility and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, human studies of this triangle are lacking. Our aim was to leverage the unique potential of cine-MRI to quantify small-intestinal motility in patients with MASLD and investigate its association with gut microbiota, metabolic tissues and metabolites.
Methods: Fifteen patients with histology proven MASLD participated in a 12-week exercise intervention. At baseline and endpoint, small-intestinal motility and liver status were assessed using MRI. Stool consistency and composition of fecal microbiome as well as mRNA expression of liver, skeletal muscle, and subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were studied. Non-targeted metabolomics was performed on stool, fasted plasma, and urine samples.
Results: At baseline, small-intestinal motility did not correlate to liver histology scores or MRI-determined markers of liver fat, stiffness, or inflammation. However, small-intestinal motility did correlate with fecal microbiota, including Verrucomicrobia and Bacteroidetes phyla as well as 41 species such as Prevotella species incertae sedis (false discovery rate [FDR]-P < 0.2). Moreover, liver RNA sequencing revealed correlations of small-intestinal motility with liver mRNA expression of CBS (FDR-P < 0.001), linked to hydrogen sulfide production, and adipose tissue mRNA expression of SCARB1 and SCD1 (FDR-P < 0.05), involved in lipid metabolism. Several stool, plasma, and urine metabolites correlated with small-intestinal motility. Exercise had no effect.
Conclusions: In MASLD patients, small-intestinal motility associates with gut microbiota, metabolites and mRNA expression in metabolic tissues. These findings warrant further investigation to determine causality and effect directionality. Additionally, this exploratory study demonstrates the potential of cine-MRI for fundamental small-intestinal motility research.
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BibTeX
@article{houttu2026smallintestinal,
title = {{Small-Intestinal Motility Interrelates With Fecal Microbiota, Metabolites and Metabolic Tissue Gene Expression in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease}},
author = {Veera Houttu and Ulrika Boulund and Adriaan G. Holleboom and Aldo Grefhorst and Ambrin Farizah Babu and Kati Hanhineva and Max Nieuwdorp and Catharina S. de Jonge},
journal = {Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.5056/jnm25139},
url = {https://doi.org/10.5056/jnm25139},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Small-Intestinal Motility Interrelates With Fecal Microbiota, Metabolites and Metabolic Tissue Gene Expression in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease
AU - Veera Houttu
AU - Ulrika Boulund
AU - Adriaan G. Holleboom
AU - Aldo Grefhorst
AU - Ambrin Farizah Babu
AU - Kati Hanhineva
AU - Max Nieuwdorp
AU - Catharina S. de Jonge
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
DO - 10.5056/jnm25139
UR - https://doi.org/10.5056/jnm25139
AB - Background/Aims: Recent studies show that the gut microbiota may affect both small-intestinal motility and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, human studies of this triangle are lacking. Our aim was to leverage the unique potential of cine-MRI to quantify small-intestinal motility in patients with MASLD and investigate its association with gut microbiota, metabolic tissues and metabolites. Methods: Fifteen patients with histology proven MASLD participated in a 12-week exercise intervention. At baseline and endpoint, small-intestinal motility and liver status were assessed using MRI. Stool consistency and composition of fecal microbiome as well as mRNA expression of liver, skeletal muscle, and subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were studied. Non-targeted metabolomics was performed on stool, fasted plasma, and urine samples. Results: At baseline, small-intestinal motility did not correlate to liver histology scores or MRI-determined markers of liver fat, stiffness, or inflammation. However, small-intestinal motility did correlate with fecal microbiota, including Verrucomicrobia and Bacteroidetes phyla as well as 41 species such as Prevotella species incertae sedis (false discovery rate [FDR]-P < 0.2). Moreover, liver RNA sequencing revealed correlations of small-intestinal motility with liver mRNA expression of CBS (FDR-P < 0.001), linked to hydrogen sulfide production, and adipose tissue mRNA expression of SCARB1 and SCD1 (FDR-P < 0.05), involved in lipid metabolism. Several stool, plasma, and urine metabolites correlated with small-intestinal motility. Exercise had no effect. Conclusions: In MASLD patients, small-intestinal motility associates with gut microbiota, metabolites and mRNA expression in metabolic tissues. These findings warrant further investigation to determine causality and effect directionality. Additionally, this exploratory study demonstrates the potential of cine-MRI for fundamental small-intestinal motility research.
SN - 2093-0879
SN - 2093-0887
ER -