Differential lung tissue gene expression in males and females: implications for the susceptibility to develop COPD

Several studies have shown that sexual dimorphisms exist with respect to the susceptibility to smoking and the clinical presentation of COPD [1, 2]. Females with COPD have a faster annual decline in their Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) than males, even with a similar number of packyears smoking [3, 4]. In addition, females develop a different type of COPD than males with less severe emphysematous destruction, but thicker small airway walls [5]. Several factors may contribute to the observed sex differences, e.g. smoking behaviour or exposures to other environmental agents [6, 7]. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Van den Berge reports research grants paid to Institution from GlaxoSmithKline, Chiesi, Teva Pharma, and Astra Zeneca, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: Dr. Brandsma has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Faiz has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. de Vries has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Rathnayake has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Pare has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Sin reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Takeda, grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, grants from Novartis, personal fees from Almirall, personal fees from Amgen, outside the submitted work . Conflict of interest: Dr. Bosse has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Laviolette has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Nickle has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Hao has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Obeidat has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Dragani has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Colombo has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Timens reports personal fees from Pfizer, personal fees from GlaxoSmithKline, personal fees from Chiesi, personal fees from Roche Diagnostics/Ventana, grants from Dutch Asthma Fund, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: Dr. Postma reports grants and other to the University from Chiesi, other to the University from Boehringer Ingelheim, other to the University from Takeda, other to the University from TEVA, other to the University from GSK, other to the University from Astra Zeneca, outside the submitted work.