The significant increase in percentage of neutrophil NFκB phosphorylation in COPD subjects compared to non-smokers in this study provides evidence to support a role for NFκB translocation and activation in delaying apoptosis in COPD subjects and to date is the only reported study to investigate the activation of this transcription factor and its' inhibitor, IκBα, in neutrophils from induced sputum. Here, NFKB1 is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.