Another study showed that interleukin-37 (IL-37) was downregulated in IPF lung tissues and overexpression of IL-37 alleviated bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis in mice by inhibiting the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling pathway and enhancing autophagy in IPF fibroblasts.14 Therefore, autophagy is cloesly related to the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Here, TGFB1 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.