Similarly, studies from animal models have demonstrated that IL-1 cytokines such as IL-1α and IL-1β play critical roles in the pathogenesis of asthma [12]–[14], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [15], [16], acute lung injury [17] and pulmonary fibrosis [18]–[20]. The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.