In addition to a regulatory role in COPD, Cai et al. (Cai et al., 2020) found that OIP5-AS1 expression levels increased in an in vitro asthma model (Der p1-induced BEAS-2B cells) and that OIP5-AS1, serving as the molecular sponge of miR-143-3p, promoted Der p1-induced BEAS-2B cell apoptosis and inflammation by modulating high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), a highly conserved ubiquitous protein that has been demonstrated to be associated with the development of asthma by promoting allergen-induced airway remodelling (Hou et al., 2015). This evidence concerns the gene HMGB1 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.