Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is produced primarily in the lung and is involved in regulating pulmonary surfactants, lipid homeostasis and innate immunity. Circulating SP-D levels in blood are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), although causality remains elusive. In 4061 subjects with COPD, we identified genetic variants associated with serum SP-D levels. We then determined whether these variants affected lung tissue gene expression in 1037 individuals.

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