Our results confirmed the increase of SPP1 mRNA in whole BAL cell extracts in IPF relative to healthy subjects however, we found that SPP1 was also significantly elevated in N-IPF relative to both healthy and IPF (Kruskal-Wallis test: p<0.0001, pairwise comparisons IPF relative to healthy: p=0.02, N-IPF relative to healthy: p<0.0001 and N-IPF relative to IPF p: <0.0001) (Figure 4A). This evidence concerns the gene SPP1 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.