As endothelial cells have been suggested to contribute to the development of pulmonary fibrosis via endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT)35,36, we could not exclude the possibility that TXNDC5 could also contribute to pulmonary fibrogenesis through promoting EndoMT in pulmonary endothelial cells. This evidence concerns the gene TXNDC5 and pulmonary fibrosis.