Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) induces mtROS accumulation in pulmonary epithelial cells, promotes phosphorylation of Dynamin-Related Protein 1 (Drp1) at Serine 616(Ser616), stabilizes the mitophagy regulator PTEN-Induced Kinase 1(PINK1), and triggers mitophagy, leading to cell death and worsening COPD (Mizumura et al., 2014). The gene discussed is DNM1L; the disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.