In normal fibroblasts, exposure to polymerized collagen inhibited proliferation, whereas fibroblasts from patients with IPF demonstrated abnormal proliferation due to activation of the PI3K-Akt-S6K1 pathway and low activity of the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) [221]. This evidence concerns the gene AKT1 and idiopathic interstitial pneumonia.