Considering the fact that inhibition of ZEB1 is able to protect against the development of renal29,34 and lung fibrosis18, and lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 can positively regulate the expression of ZEB1 and ZEB1 downstream molecules27, we hypothesize that ZEB1-AS1 may involve in the development of IPF by regulation of ZEB1. Here, ZEB1 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.