Uncovering the Link Between Clonal Hematopoiesis and COPD

Recent research has uncovered a potential link between clonal hematopoiesis and an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This association was further explored in new research led by Peter Miller, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Miller spoke in the third issue of The Respiratory Report, a quarterly newsletter from HCPLive that is powered by the American Lung Association Research Institute, on his team’s current research in this area.

In a cohort study of 50,000 individuals, his team found that people with CH were more likely to develop COPD, even after adjusting for age and smoking history. Interestingly, cigarette smoke not only increases COPD risk but also appears to drive the development of CH, creating a potential feedback loop: smoke exposure promotes CH, which in turn heightens inflammatory responses that may exacerbate or even trigger COPD. This hypothesis was further supported by mouse model studies in Miller's lab which found that mice with CH mutations exposed to cigarette smoke developed more emphysema than controls.

"What we're trying to do is really refine the association in the human genetics of how these risk factors play together, and potentially take advantage of different variations in DNA amongst that are different between different people to understand what other factors may be playing a role in these in these risks," Miller said.

To learn more about Miller's research, view the interview above or read his contribution to the second issue of The Respiratory Report here:

Uncovering the Link Between Clonal Hematopoiesis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease