NR3C1 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Dex is one of the glucocorticoids inhibits the various inflammatory genes in COPD, by recruitment of histone deacetylase-2 to the activated inflammatory gene transcription complex and binding glucocorticoid receptors (GR) to coactivator molecules, Glucocorticoids also decline the stability of some pro-inflammatory mRNA species, including IL-6, TNF- α and IL-β, etc. [33–35].