High Serum Level of IL-17 in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin PiZ Allele.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is multifactorial disease, which is characterized by airflow limitation and can be provoked by genetic factors, including carriage of the PiZ allele of the protease inhibitor (Pi) gene, encoding alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT). Both homozygous and heterozygous PiZ allele carriers can develop COPD. It was found recently that normal A1AT regulates cytokine levels, including IL-17, which is involved in COPD progression.