A recent report shows that miR-186 is downregulated in lung tissues of IPF patients, and delivery of miR-186 by human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (BMSC-EVs) reduces fibroblast activation by downregulating its target SRY-related HMG box transcription factor 4 (SOX4) and thereby Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) (Zhou et al., 2021). This evidence concerns the gene SOX4 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.