In conclusion, data collected evidenced that TGF-β activates the ERK/ADAM17/RSK1/C/EBPβ signalling pathway, after which it promotes the link of C/EBPβ to the C/EBPβ site on the CTGF promoter region to regulate CTGF expression in human lung epithelial cells, revealing a signalling pathway related to ADAM17-dependent EMT and fibrosis, which may provide a new therapeutic orientation for the treatment of IPF (Figure 5). Here, ADAM17 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.