Upregulation of long noncoding RNA AP003419.16 predicts high risk of aging‑associated idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. 
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are able to regulate adjacent genes and thus participate in the incidence in the present study has identified lncRNA AP003419.16, adjacent to the protein‑coding gene ribosomal protein S6 kinase B‑2  (RPS6KB2). RPS6KB2 is believed to be involved in the process of aging and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), due to its activation by growth factors and  regulation by the protein kinase mTOR signaling pathway. The results of the present study indicated that the expression of AP003419.16 increased significantly in patients with IPF, whereas its adjacent gene ribosomal protein S6 kinase B‑2 increased simultaneously. AP003419.16 expression may be used to predict an increased risk of aging‑associated IPF. The present study provided a molecular hypothesis of IPF occurrence in the aging process, in addition to novel molecular targets for the clinical treatment of IPF.