MUC5B and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: To this purpose, the common genetic variants associated with IPF are represented by gene involved in the airway mucin production (MUC5B, MUC2), cell-cell adhesion (DSP, DPP9) playing a critical role in the maintenance of epithelial integrity, innate and adaptive immune response (Toll-Like receptor signaling, TOLLIP, TLR3), cytokine and growth factor signaling (IL1RN, IL8, IL4, TGFβ1), telomere maintenance (TERT, OBFC1) and cell cycle regulation (KIF15, MAD1L1, CDKN1A, TP53) (Michalski and Schwartz, 2020).