IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-11, IL-12, IL17-A, and IL-33 are all increased in the blood or BAL of IPF patients compared to healthy controls, implicating a role for inflammation in the fibrotic lung.88, 89These cytokines are largely pro-inflammatory, though some have pro-fibrotic activity as well, and facilitate immune cell recruitment, ECM production, and fibrosis.88, 90Despite mouse models demonstrating a robust inflammatory response to bleomycin preceding fibrosis, targeting an inflammatory component of IPF has not proven beneficial, and may even worsen mortality. This evidence concerns the gene IL17A and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.