Table 1 Summary of transcriptomics datasets used for the present study. NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) accession number, tissue/cell sample type, platform, sample size (excluding smokers and subjects using inhaled corticosteroids) have been shown for each study

	Sample type	GEO ID	Tissues/cell types	Platform	Case	Control
I	Airway Epithelium	GSE4302	Airway epithelial cells	Affy HG-U133	10	10
II	Airway Epithelium	GSE18965	Airway epithelial cells	Affy HG-U13A	9	7
III	Bronchial Biopsy	GSE15823	Endobronchial biopsies	HG_U95	4	4
IV	Bronchial Biopsy	GSE41649	Endobronchial biopsies	HG-U133	4	4
V	Macrophages	GSE22528	Alveolar macrophages	Affy HG-U133	4	4
VI	Macrophages	GSE2125	Alveolar macrophages	Affy HG-U133	15	15
VII	Fibroblasts	GSE27335	Proximal airway fibroblasts	Agilent	8	4
VIII	Fibroblasts	GSE27335	Distal lung fibroblasts	Agilent	8	4
IX	Lymphocytes	GSE31773	CD4+ T-cells	Affy HG-U133	12	8
X	Lymphocytes	GSE31773	CD8+ T-cells	Affy HG-U133	12	8
XI	Nasal Epithelial	GSE44037	Nasal epithelial cells	Affy HG-U133	6	6
XII	Whole blood	GSE69683	Peripheral Blood	Affy HG U133	411	84
XIII	Induced sputum	GSE76262	Induced sputum (whole)	Affy HG U133	118	21