In this study, we demonstrated an increased plasma concentration of the cytokine IL-1β, which might represent the end-point parameter for activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, and up-regulated IL1B as well as NLRP3 and CASP1 gene expression in patients with end-stage COPD in comparison with the levels of the same parameters determined 1 year after lung transplantation. Here, NLRP3 is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.