Ghrelin upregulates PepT1 activity in the small intestine epithelium of rats with sepsis.

•Reveal the effect of ghrelin on the survival rate of rats with sepsis.•Confirmed the relationship between ghrelin treatment and inflammatory response in intestinal epithelial cells of rats with sepsis.•Found that ghrelin treatment contributes to the physiological role of PepT1 in intestinal epithelial cells of rats with sepsis.