Alcoholic liver disease and mast cells: What's your gut got to do with it?

Abstract Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remains one of the leading causes of liver injury and death when left untreated. The gut microbiota has been recognized as a key regulator of a number of pathologies, including ALD. The role of mast cells (MCs) during liver disease progression has been demonstrated in a number of animal models and in human liver diseases. The interaction between the gut microbiota and MCs has been investigated, and links between the gut and these immune cells are being uncovered. The interplay between the gut microbiota and MCs during ALD has been evaluated and studies suggest that there could be an important link between MCs, their mediators and gut inflammation during the progression of ALD.