Figure 1.

Mesenteric lymph as a conduit in the gut–lung axis. Severe injury or infection induces intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury, resulting in mucosal injury, gut barrier disruption, and the production of injurious factors. These factors are transported through the mesenteric lymph into blood circulation, where they trigger endothelial cell activation and barrier dysfunction, activate neutrophils and macrophages, and induce red blood cell and dendritic cell dysfunction, ultimately causing systemic inflammation and acute lung injury. Vice versa, lung disease can also cause gut mucosal injury and barrier impairment through systemic dissemination. DC = dendritic cell; EC = endothelial cell; I/R = ischemia/reperfusion; RBC = red blood cell.