Effect of rapamycin treatment on the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, and CCL2) measured in conditioned media of PA-SMCs (A) from 7 patients with COPD and 8 controls, and P-ECs (B) from 8 patients with COPD and 8 controls. Values are mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, compared with values from controls, #P < 0.05, ##P < 0.01 compared with vehicle-treated cells, by 2-way ANOVA. (C) Levels of cytokines released by PA-SMCs treated with a retroviral vector expressing the NF-κB inhibitor IκΒαM, compared with the levels released by cells treated with the control vector. The graphs show levels of IL-6, IL-8, and CCL2 in PA-SMC–conditioned media, cumulative PDL, and percentage of β-Gal–positive cells. **P < 0.01 compared with values in cells infected with the control vector, by 2-tailed unpaired t test. These measurements were performed in cells deprived of serum for 24 hours (P-ECs) or for 48 hours (PA-SMCs).