Sham-operated feces recipients showed a higher 5-day survival rate and a lower level of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, P < 0.001; TNF-α, P = 0.001) than saline-treated feces recipients (Fig. 5B to D), indicating that sepsis-induced gut dysbiosis exacerbates sepsis. Here, TNF is linked to Sepsis.