Moreover, upon H1N1 challenge, AEC-specific PNP conditional knockout mice (Nkx2-1-CreERT2, PNPflox/flox) exhibited a higher survival rate and an accelerated body weight restoration, as well as reduced inflammatory pathological injuries in the lungs, better elucidating the critical role of AEC PNP in influenza. Here, NKX2-1 is linked to influenza.