Methods for the treatment or prevention of diseases which are caused by the decreased concentrations of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) in cells are described. The diseases which may be treated by the methods of the invention include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, including steroid resistant COPD and asthma. The invention provides methods for treating or preventing of diseases caused by the degradation of HDAC2 by providing to the subject in need of treatment or prevention a molecular compound capable of preventing the degradation of HDAC2. Such molecular compounds include Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) activators. Methods are further provided for the treatment and prevention of COPD and asthma by providing to a subject in need of such treatment and prevention a nucleic acid which causes expression of HDAC2 in lung cells and/or a nucleic acid which causes expression of Nrf2 in lung cells.
