The high percentage of differentially expressed genes encoding for tissue remodelling functions (extracellular matrix components, organ structure development, cell communication) and bioenergetics (oxidative phorphorylation) which included the oxygen sensitive regulator HIF-1, suggested that IL-1β has the potential to reproduce a component of the physiological transcriptional response to training that is defective in COPD patients. The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.