Aurora Cogozzo Contacts: aurora.cogozzo@phd.unipi.itORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9357-7275 Thesis supervisors: Prof.ssa Veronica Marchetti Project title: Study on fecal and serum metabolomics and the liver-gut axis in metabolic liver diseases: translational aspects in dogs and humans Abstract: In human medicine, metabolic liver diseases are frequently observed, particularly those of non-alcoholic origin (MASLD, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease). This is a pathological liver condition characterized by hepatocytic steatosis and associated with predisposing metabolic factors such as obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, or hyperglycemia. Recent studies on MASLD have highlighted a close relationship between steatotic liver damage and the intestinal microbiota, confirming the existence of the so-called liver-gut axis. In dogs, the current WSAVA histological classification of liver diseases defines steatosis as a non-specific entity characterized by intracellular lipid accumulation, leading to degenerative liver alterations, but no classification or pathogenetic framework exists. At the same time, both histologically and ultrasonographically, hepatic steatosis patterns are frequently observed in dogs, and clinical observations suggest a possible association between inflammatory and degenerative conditions in canines as well. Although there is a complete lack of data in the literature, it is hypothesized that the predisposing factors associated with human MASLD may also be present in dogs, leading to a potentially comparable condition in veterinary medicine. It is also noteworthy that studies on the existence of a liver-gut axis in dogs are currently very limited. The aim of the phd project is to define canine hepatic steatosis within the framework of a possible metabolic syndrome in dogs and from the perspective of the liver-gut axis in order to develop targeted therapeutic and preventive strategies. Publications: Habermaass V, Bartoli F, Gori E, Dini R, Cogozzo A, Puccinelli C, Pierini A, Marchetti V. Fecal Bile Acids in Canine Chronic Liver Disease: Results from 46 Dogs. Animals (Basel). 2024 Oct 22;14(21):3051. doi: 10.3390/ani14213051. PMID: 39518774; PMCID: PMC11545594. Oral communications at the conference: Long-term follow up di 20 cani con epatite cronica, Verena Habermaass, Rebecca Dini, Eleonora Gori, Aurora Cogozzo, Ilaria Lippi, Caterina Puccinelli, Veronica Marchetti, 77° Congresso Nazionale SISVET – Parma 12-14 giugno 2024, Italia