Increasing evidence supports that the cytokine known as macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) plays an important role in leading to alveolar inflammation in ALI/ARDS and represents a potential biomarker in ALI/ARDS because it could augment pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion (TNF-α) and anti-MIF treatment effectively suppressed the level of neutrophil chemokines in the lungs2, 3, 4, 5. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is acute respiratory distress syndrome.