IL-26 Offers New Therapeutic Target for Chronic Smokers with Lung Disease

Scientists report that immune signaling protein interleukin-26 (IL-26) is increased among chronic smokers with lung disease and that this finding offers new opportunities for developing more effective therapy for these patients. Chronic tobacco smokers have a substantially increased rate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, and bacterial lung infections, and these disorders respond poorly to currently available therapies. This is thought to be associated with