These genes are significantly enriched in biological processes such as the “pattern recognition receptor signaling pathway”, “response to lipopolysaccharide”, “regulation of I-kappaB kinase/NF-kappaB signaling”, and “Toll-like receptor signaling pathway” (Fig. 6T), which suggest that TNIP3 may play a potential regulatory role in AMs activation during the progression of ALI/ARDS. The gene discussed is TNIP3; the disease is acute respiratory distress syndrome.