Cigarette smoking leads to a change of both function and structure of the whole bronchopulmonary system, including alveoli, capillaries and the immune system of lungs.
Under the influence of cigarette smoke and neitrophil elastase an arising a disbalance of cytokine synthesis by alveolar epithelial cells and disbalance in the system oxidant-antioxidant are the main mechanism of the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases as a result of forming bronchial obstruction and pulmonary emphysema.