Endothelial monocyte-activating protein 2 (EMAPII) is a pro-inflammatory endothelial- and monocyte-activating polypeptide and an anti-angiogenic molecule, which specifically induces apoptosis in endothelial cells.55 This property of EMAPII may be highly relevant to emphysema because endothelial cell apoptosis is sufficient to recapitulate key pathological features of this disease.55 EMAPII is expressed in the cytosol of all cell types and is upregulated by general cellular stress, hypoxia, and LPS. The gene discussed is AIMP1; the disease is pulmonary emphysema.