Moreover, overexpression of SPARCL1 exacerbates the local inflammatory response during pneumonia, which was assessed by the elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines or factors, such as TNF, IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, MIG/ CXCL-9, TIMP-1, BLC/CXCL-13 (Fig. 3I-J and Supplementary Fig. 7C–E) and decreased anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 in BALF in comparison to WT mice by day 20 (Fig. 3K and L). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL9 and susceptibility to pneumonia measurement.