COPD switch genes are all protein-coding, among which 4 transcription factors - including E2F3, HIF4, TAF10 of module 3 and RUNX1 of module 2 - and five other genes located within previously identified genome-wide significant COPD GWAS loci5 (Fig. 5c). This evidence concerns the gene E2F3 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.