Interestingly, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formed by neutrophil elastase (NE), DNA, histones, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) (26) have been shown to mediate proinflammatory effects in vivo and in vitro and have served as useful biomarkers for a variety of diseases, including sepsis, acute lung injury, cystic fibrosis and COPD (27–29). The gene discussed is ELANE; the disease is cystic fibrosis.