TNF and acute respiratory distress syndrome: Proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines contribute to inflammatory responses in ALI.2 In this study, the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, KC and MIP‐2, in BALF were significantly elevated in mice 6 hours after LPS treatment, compared with those in control.