Mitochondrial fragmentation, autophagosome equivalence, and aberrant expression of mitochondria-associated proteins including decreased levels of OPA1 and PINK1, and elevated levels of the mobilization of protein sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1/p62) and LC3B II-LC3B I were observed in lung tissues and non-cellular cells from COPD patients. Here, OPA1 is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.