The Medical Research Council researchers analyzed huge amount amount of health and genetic data from volunteers to the UK's Biobank project. The analysis of more than 50,000 people showed favorable mutations in people's DNA-enhanced lung function and masked the deadly impact of smoking.
The team discovered six independent genetic variants associated with lung health and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD. They found genetic variants associated with COPD in people who have never smoked. By comparing smokers and non-smokers, as well as, those with the disease and without, they discovered sections of our DNA that reduce the risk of COPD. So smokers with "good genes" had a lower risk of COPD than those with "bad genes".
The team found that the numbers of copies of duplicated sequence of the genome on Chromosome 17 was associated with lung health in heavy smokers and also in never smokers. Importantly for the prevention of COPD and other smoking-related diseases, five independent genetic variants were discovered which were associated with heavy smoking.
The research is published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
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