MMP1 and pulmonary fibrosis: Additionally MMP-1, a protease which has been implicated in lung fibrosis, interstitial pneumonia, and cancer, was found to be important in our model.[65,66] Proteases have a prominent role in cancer, coronary disease, and OAD.[67–71] Increased protease activity is a component of many diseases, including cigarette-induced chronic lung disease and other causes of accelerated lung function decline.[67–70] MMPs’ central role in lung remodeling and pathogenesis of OAD has been of particular interest.