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World J Gastrointest Surg. Apr 27, 2026; 18(4): 116918
Published online Apr 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i4.116918
Published online Apr 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i4.116918
Exploring the mechanism and potential treatment of severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury based on the gut-lung axis
Xin-Tong Ye, Chu-Ying Yu, Hao-Yu Zhao, Su-Ting Qian, Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310007, Zhejiang Province, China
Ye Huang, Department of Gastroenterology, The Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of Shinan District (The People’s Hospital of Shinan District), Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Qing-Sheng Liu, Department of Gastroenterology, Third People’s Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Ye Huang and Qing-Sheng Liu.
Author contributions: Ye XT performed a comprehensive literature review on intestinal bacterial transport and immune cell migration during acute pancreatitis and subsequently revised the manuscript; Yu CY and Zhao HY investigated the therapeutic potential of the lung-gut axis in acute pancreatitis; Qian ST, Huang Y, and Liu QS conceived the review framework, supervised the overall research direction, coordinated contributions from all the authors, and finalized the manuscript; Huang Y and Liu QS played important and indispensable roles in the manuscript preparation as co-corresponding authors; All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflicts of interest in publishing the manuscript.
Corresponding author: Qing-Sheng Liu, Chief Physician, Department of Gastroenterology, Third People’s Hospital of Hangzhou, No. 453 Stadium Road, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China. 7394822@qq.com
Received: November 25, 2025
Revised: December 18, 2025
Accepted: February 2, 2026
Published online: April 27, 2026
Processing time: 151 Days and 1.5 Hours
Revised: December 18, 2025
Accepted: February 2, 2026
Published online: April 27, 2026
Processing time: 151 Days and 1.5 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)-associated acute lung injury is a pivotal determinant of mortality. The gut-lung axis plays a central role in its pathogenesis. SAP-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis compromises the intestinal barrier, facilitating bacterial/endotoxin translocation and gut-derived immune cell migration to the lungs. This process culminates in a profound pulmonary inflammatory response, thereby identifying the gut-lung axis as a promising therapeutic target for novel interventions against SAP-associated acute lung injury.