ZC3H12A and acute respiratory distress syndrome: Activated macrophages are known to secrete inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species and enzymes, which can have damaging effects on epithelial-endothelial barriers in the lungs, leading to pulmonary edema, an important component of the severe form of acute lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome.26 Pulmonary edema, measured as a significant increase in the wet-to-dry lung weight ratio, was observed in both strains with LPS challenge, but was much more severe in M-Mcpip1−/− mice than in Mcpip1fl/fl controls (Figure 2d).