On the contrary, early investigation had revealed that smokers with COPD (n=12) had less circulating CD8+ T cells and more chemokine receptor CXCR3 on CD8+ T cells than smokers without COPD (n=14) and nonsmokers (n=13), while smokers with and without COPD had more activated and cytotoxic (CD27-CD45RA+) CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood than normal nonsmokers [59]. The gene discussed is CD27; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.