Emphysema, a component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is characterized by irreversible alveolar destruction that results in a progressive decline in lung function. This alveolar destruction is caused by cigarette smoke, the most important risk factor for COPD. Only 15%-20% of smokers develop COPD, suggesting that unknown factors contribute to disease pathogenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflammation is a response to injury and infection. Although protective under physiological conditions, excessive and persistent inflammation is linked to numerous diseases. As the lungs are continuously exposed to the external environment, the respiratory system is particularly liable to damage from inflammation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic and prevalent respiratory disease caused primarily by long term inhalation of cigarette smoke. A major hallmark of COPD is elevated apoptosis of structural lung cells including fibroblasts. The NF-κB member RelB may suppress apoptosis in response to cigarette smoke, but its role in lung cell survival is not known.
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