Diseases marked by inflammation of elastin-rich organs such as atherosclerosis of arteries, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and emphysema have been associated with tobacco smoking and the accumulation of inflammatory cells within the affected organs, and concurrently display elevated serum levels of soluble elastin fragments (EFs; Kucich et al., 1991; Rosenbloom et al., 1991; Bizbiz et al., 1997; Lindholt et al., 2001b; Petersen et al., 2002; Galkina and Ley, 2009). The gene discussed is ELN; the disease is atherosclerosis.