Numerous studies indicate that a hallmark of one of the primary pathological mechanisms in IPF, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is the loss of E-cadherin (E-cad, encoded by CDH1 mRNA, an epithelial marker), along with increased expression of Vimentin (a mesenchymal marker) and N-cadherin (N-cad, encoded by CDH2 mRNA)69–71. This evidence concerns the gene CDH2 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.