MMP9 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: In this work, inflammatory LPS or an oxidative CSE stimulus activated human neutrophils to release IL-8 and MMP9 that was effectively inhibited by the corticosteroid fluticasone propionate in neutrophils from healthy subjects but not in neutrophils from severe asthma and COPD, showing insensitivity to the anti-inflammatory effects of corticosteroid.