Impaired intestinal Akkermansia muciniphila and aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice

Based on metagenomics of gut microbiota, we demonstrated that artificial sweetener consumption altered gut microbial community structure and composition in the cecal contents of mice, resulting in disruption of intestinal barrier integrity, gut leakiness and high level of serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which caused systemic inflammation and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice.