Recently, our team reported that Toll-like receptor (TLR)-related long non-coding interleukin 7 receptor (lnc-IL7R) levels were significantly downregulated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with COPD, compared with those from their healthy control peers.l This suppressed lnc-IL7R levels was also found to be associated with impaired pulmonary function, and increased risk of COPD exacerbation [16]. Here, IL7R is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.