IL6 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: In this study, to investigate the effect of DEP exposure on LPS-induced ALI and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect, we examined pathological and biological features of ALI in response to DEP pre-exposure by measuring the levels of various proteins, including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, NLRP3 inflammasome components, and fibrosis markers in the BAL fluid and lungs.