MFN2 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: As research progressed, mitophagy has been found to perform a significant part in ALI.228–230 In ALI caused by lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced sepsis in mice, Zhang et al. found that LPS exposure decreases mitochondrial membrane potential in lung tissue.230 Parkin is recruited from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria, which reduces MFN2 protein expression and increases Drp1 protein expression.