Following 72 hours stimulation with 10 ng/ml TGF-β1, the level of soluble FBLN-1 was significantly decreased in supernatant from COPD (p<0.001, n = 9) and non-COPD (p<0.001, n = 9) ASM cells, and there was on differences in the fold change of soluble FBLN-1 decreased by TGF-β1 between the two groups (Fig. 2A, 2B). This evidence concerns the gene FBLN1 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.