Cigarette Smoke Drives Small Airway Remodeling by Induction of Growth Factors in the Airway Wall

Abstract

These findings suggest that smoke can induce growth factor and procollagen production in small airways in a time frame that initially is too short for a significant inflammatory response and that profibrotic growth factor and procollagen gene expression become self-sustaining with repeated smoke exposures. These results imply that the pathogenesis of and possible treatment approaches to emphysema and small airway remodeling might be quite different.