STAT3 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Despite no difference in peribronchial recruitment of inflammatory populations between α5SNP and α5WT COPD BALF, six inflammatory mediators were highly upregulated in α5SNP COPD BALF, including MMP-9 and CHI3L1, which are associated with lung remodeling; Acrp30 and CRP, both markers of systemic inflammation; and MIP-3a, which is indirectly related to the activation of NF-kB and STAT3 signaling pathways [36].