In order to understand the role of the AIM2/IL-1α axis in both stable and exacerbated COPD in our experimental conditions, and because the difference between stable and exacerbated COPD patients relies on corticosteroid treatment, that needs to be intravenously administered to hospitalized exacerbated patients, we moved on by analyzing the effect of corticosteroids on AIM2-dependent pathway. Here, AIM2 is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.