Targeting the human βc receptor inhibits inflammatory myeloid cells and lung injury caused by acute cigarette smoke exposure

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a devastating disease commonly caused by cigarette smoke (CS) exposure that drives tissue injury by persistently recruiting myeloid cells into the lungs. A significant portion of COPD patients also present with overlapping asthma pathology including eosinophilic inflammation. The βc cytokine family includes granulocyte monocyte‐colony‐stimulating factor, IL‐5 and IL‐3 that signal through their common receptor subunit βc to promote the expansion and survival of multiple myeloid cells including monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils and eosinophils.