AGER and viral infectious disease: Exposure to cyclic mechanical cues associated with physiological breathing motions (5% strain; 15 deformations/min) sustains moderate levels of production and secretion of S100A7 protein by alveolar epithelium and endothelium, which binds to RAGE and generates an innate immune response that protects against viral infection, whereas S100A7 levels are lower and viral infection greater when breathing motions are absent.