NLRP3 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: We report similar expression levels of NLRP3 in COPD and control subjects, an absence of caspase-1 expression in patients with COPD and controls, and no differences in the expression of IL-1β, its receptors and IL-18 in COPD bronchial biopsies and in the BAL level of IL-1β, IL-1RA, IL-18 and IL-18BPa, and their IL-1β/IL-1RA and IL-18/IL-18BPa ratios in patients with stable mild/moderate COPD versus control smokers with normal lung function.