Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive chronic inflammatory disease with a poor clinical outcome. Although pirfenidone and nintedanib have been approved by FDA to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), these drugs can only slow the progression of IPF. Autophagy plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Whether the autophagic flux is blocked or not is directly related to the development direction of pulmonary fibrosis. Defining how autophagy activity regulates the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis will greatly advance the progression of pulmonary fibrosis therapy.
Keywords: Autophagic flux; Collagen; Fibroblast; Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; Oxidative stress.