Alpha-1 Antitrypsin PiMZ Genotype Is Associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Two Racial Groups

Rationale: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, caused primarily by homozygosity for the Z allele of the SERPINA1 gene, is a well-established genetic cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Whether the heterozygous PiMZ genotype for alpha-1 antitrypsin confers increased risk for COPD has been debated.Objectives: We analyzed 8,271 subjects in the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) Study, hypothesizing that PiMZ would independently...