The relevance of cytokines in ARDS has been evident from human studies, which showed an increase in bronchoalveolar lavage IL-8 concentrations that preceded clinical evidence of disease, and that bronchoalveolar lavage concentrations of TNF-α and IL-8 were higher at presentation in patients who died of ARDS than in those who survived [35, 36]. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is acute respiratory distress syndrome.