Scientists have identified striking changes in gene expression and cellular interactions in distinct cell populations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Recent research conducted by a team of scientists at Baylor College of Medicine, Yale University, and other institutions, has revealed these changes in three distinct cell populations implicated in COPD, namely epithelial (in the lungs), endothelial (in blood vessels) and macrophage cells (part of the immune system).

The study, published in Nature Communications, used single-cell RNA sequencing to analyse gene expression profiles of lung tissue obtained from patients with COPD and from mice exposed to cigarette smoke. In these sequences, the scientists found a subpopulation of epithelial cells in lungs with COPD that has abnormal expression of genes involved in metabolic, antioxidant and cellular stress responses, when compared to controls. The findings highlight the complexity and diversity of cellular injury and inflammation in COPD, providing a better understanding of the factors and processes involved in the disease.