This hypothesis was confirmed by the evidences: a striking induction of RCN3 was observed in fibroblasts from both patient and mouse fibrotic lungs; RCN3 overexpression promoted LF activation; Rcn3 deficiency markedly blunted DHLF-IPF activation and bleomycin-induced fibrosis. This evidence concerns the gene RCN3 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.