SFTPA1 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Regarding the manifold biophysical and immunomodulatory activities of the surfactant proteins, interventions up-regulating surfactant proteins may unfold favourable effects in a range of respiratory ailments given their role in lung physiology and innate defence also taking into account that levels of SP-A were found to be compromised in COPD [31], pneumonia [44] or ARDS [30].