Hepatic stellate cell activation and senescence induced by intrahepatic microbiota disturbances drive progression of liver cirrhosis toward hepatocellular carcinoma

Our analysis of the hepatic microbiota revealed for the first time that patients with HCC exhibited a dysbiotic microbial community with higher S. maltophilia abundance, which induced the expression SASP factors of HSCs and cirrhosis in the liver, concurring in the process of hepatocarcinogenesis.