Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 plays an important role in IPF and cancer; it is a major pro-fibrotic cytokine, and is a potential target for treating fibrotic diseases.TGF-β1 binds to TGF-βRII, phosphorylating TGF-βRI, and enhances ECM expression via the suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic (SMAD) phosphorylation signaling pathway. Here, TGFB1 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.