TNF and serum lipopolysaccharide activity: Interestingly, macrophage depletion in mice without sepsis (clodronate-administered sham) demonstrated mildly elevated serum cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) without organ injury (Fig. 4B–K) possibly due to gut permeability defect (gut leakage) as indicated by fungemia (with β-glucanemia) and bacteremia (with endotoxemia), partly from an impact of increased fecal fungi (Fig. 5A–F).