Based on Nrf2 knockout mice, we verified that Nrf2 activation remarkably downregulated the expression of HMGB1, inhibited the TGF-β-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and reactive oxygen species generation, subsequently ameliorated the development of pulmonary fibrosis (Qu et al., 2019). This evidence concerns the gene HMGB1 and pulmonary fibrosis.