In COPD patients’ neutrophils, mRNA expression for the two anti-apoptotic genes, Bcl-xl and Mcl-1, was almost twice that of controls (Bcl-xl: 2.1 ± 0.3 vs. 1.0 ± 0.2; Mcl-1: 2.0 ± 0.4 vs. 1.0 ± 0.3; both P < 0.001). Here, BCL2L1 is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.