To date, it is not clear whether the negative transpulmonary gradient of intracellular LOX-1 levels after cardiac surgery, as observed in our study, is either (i) involved in inflammatory processes, leading to ARDS development or (ii) contributes to a dampening effect on local inflammation signaling or (iii) remains an inactive bystander of the inflammatory process. This evidence concerns the gene OLR1 and acute respiratory distress syndrome.