Fig. 4

Correlation analysis of AIM2 and cleaved IL-1β specks in lung biopsies. A, B: Increase of cytoplasmic AIM2 specks directly correlated with that of cleaved IL-1β, in either alveolar macrophages (a) or bronchiolar epithelium (b). c, d Positive correlations of AIM2 and cleaved IL-1β specks between alveolar macrophages and bronchiolar epithelium. Black dots in a-d represent data sets obtained from COPD patients; grey dots: non-COPD non-smoker controls. e - h: Levels of AIM2 and cleaved IL-1β specks in each cell type positively correlated with GOLD stages. COPD, n = 9; non-COPD non-smoker controls, n = 5