Given the deep understanding of the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway in cancer immunity and the successful application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in lung cancer, recent studies have noticed the role of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in IPF. This evidence concerns the gene RPL17 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.