Liver bypass in the development of pathogen-associated pulmonary vascular disease: contribution of mesocaval and portosystemic shunts.

Abstract

Portosystemic and mesocaval shunts are aberrant vascular connections that bypass hepatic detoxification process, directly linking the portal to the systemic circulation. These shunts, whether congenital or acquired, might play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of systemic inflammatory diseases, such as schistosomiasis-associated pulmonary hypertension (Sch-PH) by facilitating the dissemination of pathogen-derived eggs and antigens from the gut and mesentery into the lungs. Beyond the translocation of Schistosoma mansoni eggs, emerging evidence implicates that gut-lung microbiome dysbiosis contributes to the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the preclinical animal model of Sch-PH. Sch-PH emerges as a chronic complication of schistosomiasis and evolves silently, progressively increasing the mean pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular resistance, leading to right heart hypertrophy, failure, and significant morbidity and mortality. Chronic schistosomiasis is often linked to the development of portal hypertension, which significantly contributes to the formation of the porto/mesocaval shunt as a compensatory response that can have far-reaching implications on pulmonary vascular physiology. In addition, portal hypertension compromises the integrity of the intestinal barrier, exacerbating peritoneal and mesenteric inflammation, potentially facilitating microbial and metabolite entrance into the systemic circulation. This article briefly discusses the mechanisms by which porto/mesocaval shunts contribute to PH, especially Group I PH, focusing on the interplay between portosystemic shunting, microbial translocation, and systemic dissemination of proinflammatory metabolites.