Genes may put some smokers at greater risk for COPD
Source: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
According to new research coming from Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine, certain people may have a genetic predisposition that makes them more susceptible to COPD of they smoke tobacco products.
Researchers studied 1,073 men that were over 40 years old and had smoked 20 or more pack-years (with 1 pack-year equivalent to smoking one pack per day for a year), looking at two variations (-1112C and -1112T) of the interleukin-13 (IL-13) gene. The gene is responsible for the production of the IL-13 protein that is involved in pulmonary inflammation and susceptibility to COPD. Every person has two copies of the gene – one inherited from each parent – and researchers found that those with two copies of the -1112T variation performed much worse on a pulmonary function test. As a result, researchers theorized that the variation of the IL-13 gene may play a role in determining the health effects that smoking has on different individuals.
“This finding may help us to understand why some smokers develop COPD and improve our understanding of how the disease develops,” said Jill Ohar, M.D., senior researcher and a professor of internal medicine-pulmonary,. “It shows us that it’s likely the gene/environment interaction sets you up for this disease.”
The evidence suggests that genetic factors can play a role in determining the damage that habitual smoking has on a person’s health. While this does not dispute the fact that smoking remains by far the greatest risk factor for COPD, understanding the role of the IL-13 gene could lead scientists towards new drugs to prevent and treat COPD.
Media Contact: Dave Low
(408) 998-5865, david@lungsrus.org