Faecalibaculum, Desulfovibrio, Parasutterella, and Helicobacter showed significant positive correlations with fasting blood glucose, TBA, serum TC, TG, ALT, and hepatic inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) (p < 0.05), consistent with their specific enrichment in the HF group, thereby supporting their pathogenic roles in MASLD progression. Here, TNF is linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.