Provided are methods of treating or delaying the onset of a vascular inflammatory disease (e.g., acute lung injury) in a subject including administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a nucleic acid containing all or a part of the sequence of mature miR-181b (SEQ ID NO: 1). Also provided are methods of decreasing nuclear factor-κβ (NF-κβ) signaling in an endothelial cell including administering to the subject a nucleic acid containing all or a part of the sequence of mature miR-181b (SEQ ID NO: 1).