In a murine model of acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to instillation of hydrochloric acid (HCl), mimicking aspiration-induced lung injury, TRPV4 KO lungs perfused with TRPV4+/+ leukocytes had increased neutrophil activation, respiratory burst, and neutrophil adhesion and migration compared to TRPV4 KO lungs perfused with blood from TRPV4 KOs, suggesting that neutrophil TRPV4 mediates the acute cellular inflammatory response. The gene discussed is TRPV4; the disease is acute respiratory distress syndrome.