(OR20-01-26) The Joint Role of Gut Microbial Myrosinase and Host Glutathione S-transferases in the Association Between Cruciferous Vegetable Intake and MASLD Risk in a Chinese Cohort

Monday, July 27, 2026

2:30 PM - 2:42 PM ET

Location: Maryland Ballroom D

Presenting Author(s)

Zisuo Sun, PhD (he/him/his)

Student
Anhui Medical University
Hefei, Anhui, China (People's Republic)

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Co-Author(s)

SL

Shaoxian Liang

Anhui Medical University
Hefei, Anhui, China (People's Republic)
LY

Lanlan Yao

Anhui Medical University
Hefei, Anhui, China (People's Republic)
QS

Qiuming Shen

Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (People's Republic)
ZL

Zhuoying Li

Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (People's Republic)
QS

Qiaofeng Shen

Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China (People's Republic)
CL

Chihua Li

University of Macau, China (People's Republic)
XZ

Xuehong Zhang

Yale University, United States
YX

Yongbing Xiang

Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (People's Republic)
ZZ

Zhuang Zhang

Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China (People's Republic)
WY

Wanshui Yang

Anhui Medical University
Hefei, Anhui, China (People's Republic)

Disclosure(s):

Zisuo Sun, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: Isothiocyanates from cruciferous vegetables require myrosinase for release and are subsequently metabolized by host glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Myrosinase can originate from both vegetables and gut microbiota, though common Chinese cooking often inactivates the plant enzyme. We prospectively investigated whether gut microbial myrosinase modifies the association between cruciferous vegetable intake and the risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and whether it jointly influences this association with host GST genotypes.

Methods: In a cohort of 2,942 Chinese adults, cruciferous vegetable intake was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire. Gut microbial myrosinase gene abundance was quantified from fecal metagenomic sequencing. MASLD was diagnosed based on vibration-controlled transient elastography. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression models.

Results: During 2020–2025, 517 incident MASLD cases were identified. Higher cruciferous vegetable intake was inversely associated with MASLD risk (HR per 1-SD increase: 0.86, 95%CI: 0.76-0.96). This association was modified by gut microbial myrosinase gene abundance, with a stronger inverse association in the high-abundance group (HR: 0.69, 95%CI: 0.55-0.85, P_interaction=0.042). In a joint analysis based on myrosinase abundance (low/high) and GST genotypes (non‑carrier/carrier of GSTP1-rs1695-G or GSTA1-rs3957357-T alleles), the strongest inverse association was observed in participants with both high myrosinase gene abundance and carrier genotypes (HR: 0.53, 95%CI: 0.37-0.77).

Conclusions: The protective association between cruciferous vegetable and MASLD is modified by gut microbial myrosinase and is jointly enhanced by specific host GST genotypes. Our findings underscore a diet-gut microbiome-host genetics interplay in MASLD prevention.

Funding Sources: National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM, Chinese Nutrition Society, Anhui Medical University, and Major Projects in Natural Science of Higher Education Institutions in Anhui Province.