CHRNA7 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: The activation of the α3β4 nAChR could be beneficial in diseases with impaired mucociliary clearance, such as COPD, asthma, or even cystic fibrosis (Figure 2), while the activation of the α9α10 nAChR in immune cells or α7 nAChR in alveolar macrophages and lung epithelial cells might be helpful to ameliorate acute lung injury, COPD, and asthma by reducing airway inflammation (Figure 2).