Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an age and smoking related progressive, pulmonary disorder presenting with poorly reversible airflow limitation as a result of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The prevalence, disease burden for the individual, and mortality of COPD continues to increase, whereas no effective treatment strategies are available. For many years now, a combination of bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids has been most widely used for therapeutic management of patients with persistent COPD. However, this approach has had disappointing results as a large number of COPD patients are corticosteroid resistant. In patients with COPD, there is emerging evidence showing aberrant expression of epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and microRNAs in blood, sputum and lung tissue. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches may exist using epigenetic therapy. This review aims to describe and summarize current knowledge of aberrant expression of epigenetic marks in COPD. In addition, tools available for restoration of epigenetic marks are described, as well as delivery mechanisms of epigenetic editors to cells. Targeting epigenetic marks might be a very promising tool for treatment and lung regeneration in COPD in the future.

慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）是与年龄和吸烟相关的进行性肺疾病，由于慢性支气管炎和肺气肿而导致可逆的气流受限性差。患病率，个人疾病负担和COPD死亡率持续增加，但是尚无有效的治疗策略。多年来，支气管扩张药和抗炎皮质类固醇的结合已被最广泛地用于持续性COPD患者的治疗。但是，这种方法的效果令人失望，因为许多COPD患者对皮质类固醇耐药。在患有COPD的患者中，有新出现的证据显示血液，痰液和肺组织中表观遗传标记（例如DNA甲基化，组蛋白修饰和microRNA）的异常表达。因此，使用表观遗传学疗法可能存在新的治疗方法。这篇综述旨在描述和总结当前关于COPD中表观遗传标记异常表达的知识。另外，描述了可用于恢复表观遗传标记的工具，以及表观遗传编辑器向细胞的递送机制。靶向表观遗传标记可能是将来在COPD中治疗和肺再生的非常有前途的工具。