28.A 55-year-old man with a long history of smoking presents with chronic cough and dyspnea. Lung
biopsy shows loss of alveolar walls with enlargement of airspaces rspaces and and minimal fibrosis. Which pathologic mechanism BEST explains this finding?

(A) Diffuse interstitial collagen deposition from chronic inflammation
(B) Decreased antiprotease activity leading to elastin destruction

(C) Obliteration of small airways by granulation tissue polyps

(D) Accumulation of surfactant in intra-alveolar spaces