The lung is frequently the first failing organ during the sequential development of multiple organ dysfunction under both septic or non-septic conditions. The present study compared polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor (TNFalpha), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and adhesion molecule (AM) expression on circulating, recruited, and migrating leukocytes in the development of lung injury after induction of acute pancreatitis (AP) or abdominal sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Pulmonary alveolar barrier and endothelial barrier permeability dysfunction were measured. The expression of AMs (CD11b, CD11b/c, CD31, CD54 and CD62L) on leukocytes isolated from blood, lung tissue, and bronchoalveolar space were measured by flowcytometry. Plasma exudation to the interstitial tissue and the bronchoalveolar space significantly increased 1 and 3 hours after induction of pancreatitis and to the bronchoalveolar space from 6 hours after sepsis. Bronchoalveolar levels of MCP-1 significantly increased earlier than plasma exudation to the alveoli in both pancreatitis and sepsis. Alterations in expression of adhesion molecules on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) leukocytes can represent a marker reflecting leukocyte activation in the lung tissue, since both BAL and lung tissue leukocytes showed similar patterns of changes. Expression of adhesion molecules on circulating leukocytes increased 1 hour after induction of pancreatitis. Activating phenotypes of circulating, lung tissue and bronchoalveolar leukocytes may thus be responsible for the-development and severity of secondary lung injury.