The results for both TGF-β1-induced A549 cells and DHLF-IPF cells validated that NEN stabilized both rapamycin-sensitive and rapamycin-independent PI3K-mTOR signalling and restored Beclin-1-independent autophagy, which might contribute to NEN-mediated antiproliferative effects and decrease in the ECM. Here, BECN1 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.