Moreover, western blotting results demonstrated that the NR2F2 protein expressions in AECIIs of patients with pneumonia-induced ARDS and sepsis-induced ARDS were upregulated markedly than that of control group (P < 0.01), but there was no difference in NR2F2 protein expressions between pneumonia-induced ARDS group and sepsis-induced ARDS group (P > 0.05) (Fig. 2C). This evidence concerns the gene NR2F2 and pneumonia.