# Mechanisms and therapeutics of immunometabolic reprogramming driving macrophage-ECs interactions in sepsis-associated ARDS from the gut-lung axis perspective

**Authors:** Jia Tang, Mi Yan, Yanfei Liu, Wanwei Li, Zhangxue Hu

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1730799 · Frontiers in Immunology · 2026-03-02

## TL;DR

This paper explores how gut-lung interactions and immune cell metabolism contribute to sepsis-related ARDS, aiming to identify new treatment strategies.

## Contribution

The paper provides a novel theoretical framework for understanding immunometabolic reprogramming in macrophage-EC interactions during sepsis-induced ARDS.

## Key findings

- Immunometabolic reprogramming significantly affects macrophage and endothelial cell interactions in ARDS.
- The gut-lung axis plays a central role in regulating immune responses during sepsis.
- Targeting specific biochemical pathways could lead to new therapeutic strategies for ARDS.

## Abstract

Acute respiratory distress (ARDS) caused by sepsis is a critical inflammatory condition with high mortality rates in clinical settings. The gut-lung axis plays a crucial role in regulating the immune response in both the intestinal and pulmonary environments, significantly impacting the development of ARDS. Immunometabolic reprogramming, a fundamental regulator of immune cell function, has recently been shown to profoundly affect the activity of macrophages and endothelial cells (ECs), as well as their crosstalk, thereby shaping the pathogenesis of ARDS. While a great deal has been learned about the potential inflammatory pathways involved, few clinically actionable therapies are available in part due to an incomplete understanding of gut-lung crosstalk in their shared ecosystem of cells and molecules. The current review systematically advances novel insights into the immunometabolic reprogramming that influences macrophage-ECs interactions via sepsis-induced ARDS, with a specific regard to the gut-lung axis. Here, we summarize the key biochemical pathways that control immune cell phenotypes and endothelial function, review the latest experimental evidence for their intercellular crosstalk, and describe the molecular targets that might be targeted to inform therapeutic strategies. Integrating the current evidence, this review seeks to provide a comprehensive theoretical framework and novel methods for the precise treatment of sepsis-associated ARDS, which could be beneficial to clinical practices and patients’ prognoses.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** ARDS (MONDO:0006502)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** ARDS (MESH:D012128), sepsis (MESH:D018805), inflammatory (MESH:D007249)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

189 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12989369/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12989369