ISG15 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: By cross-referencing with relevant gene sets in the GeneCards database, we identified 10 core genes potentially involved in the pathophysiological processes of ALI/ARDS influenced by AMs: STAT1, CCL5, PTGS2, HIF1A, CCR5, ISG15, CD38, MX1, IRF7, and CLEC4E. Reduced CD38 expression suppresses LPS-induced inflammation, underscoring its role as a pro-inflammatory regulator [41].