Background Traumatic lung injury (TLI) frequently progresses to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a condition with high mortality and limited targeted therapies. This study aimed to identify specific immune cell drivers and potential therapeutic targets for precision intervention in TLI. Methods We conducted a comprehensive analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of trauma patients, transcriptomic data from alveolar macrophages in