In models of lung disease, similar opposing actions of BMP7 on TGF-β/Smad signaling were indicated by reduced p-Smad 2/3 levels and attenuation of silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis in animals treated with recombinant BMP7 (Yang et al., 2013; Liang et al., 2016). Here, TGFB1 is linked to pulmonary fibrosis.