HMGB1 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: Moreover, DEX downregulated the expressions of the HMGB1/RAGE pathway-related genes/proteins and pyroptosis-related genes/proteins both in the CLP-stimulated ALI and LPS-induced MLE-12 cell models, whereas RAGE overexpression could impair the protective effects of DEX on ALI in the in vivo and in vitro models.