EPAS1 and acute respiratory distress syndrome: In acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), HIF‐2α is induced through the induction of expression of vascular endothelial protein tyrosine phosphatase (VE‐PTP) and enhances the integrity of adherens junctions (AJs) between endothelial cells, thereby improving vascular endothelial barrier function and preventing edema formation and inflammatory cell infiltration [23].