In this study, our results demonstrate: (1) that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) alleviate inflammatory responses and tissue damage in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI; (2) autophagy does, like a functional harbor, contribute a key role in the maintenance of the therapeutic efficacy of ADSCs in vivo; and (3) ADSCs co-cultured with alveolar epithelial cells in vitro are dependent on autophagy for their significant anti-inflammatory functions, and mTOR is a key regulator of autophagy. The gene discussed is MTOR; the disease is acute respiratory distress syndrome.