Thus, spatial transcriptomic analyses complemented by bioinformatic, tissue, and in vitro studies have identified that loss of NFKBIZ in alveolar epithelial cells dysregulates the TGFβ/IL-6 axis, which may contribute to the susceptibility of IPF alveolar epithelial cells to environmental stress. Here, TGFB1 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.