The eventual detrimental role of a salty microenvironment in the pathophysiological scenario of IPF is supported by the following observations: (1) acute exacerbation of the disease in IPF patients is common following diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage procedures in which a high volume of saline is used (Sakamoto et al., 2012), (2) increased circulating sodium chloride increases TGF-β1 expression (Hovater and Sanders, 2012), and (3) salt decreases the protective activity of mucin (Travis et al., 1999). Here, MUC5AC is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.