[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an autoimmune disease?]

L Le Guennec1, V Pestre, L Mouthon

  • 1Service de médecine interne, centre de référence pour les vascularités nécrosantes et la sclérodermie systémique, faculté de médecine Paris-Descartes, université Paris-Descartes, hôpital Cochin, AP-HP de Paris, 27 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Jacques, Paris cedex 14, France.

Summary

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) involves irreversible airflow limitation. This review explores the role of innate immunity and emerging evidence of autoimmune reactions, particularly against elastin, in COPD pathogenesis.

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