Furthermore, the expression of senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase (SA‐β‐gal) was reduced in UCP2‐silenced IPF myofibroblasts (Figure 5h), in association with decreased mRNA expression of the senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP) proteins, interleukin 6 (IL‐6) and interleukin 1β (IL‐1β) (Figure 5i,j). This evidence concerns the gene IL1B and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.