NF-κB may be crucial under air pollution exposure: HBECs (BEAS-2B), normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) human bronchial epithelial (DHBE) cells, exposed to PM2.5, exhibited a dose-dependent increase in both the binding activity and the secretion of NF-κB target cytokine [74]. The gene discussed is NFKB1; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.