Nod-like receptor pyrin-containing protein 6 (NLRP6) is up-regulated in ileal Crohn’s disease and differentially expressed in goblet cells

A contributing factor in the development of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) is aberrant signaling of the innate immune complex known as the inflammasome. The inflammasome regulates the production of interleukin (IL)1b and drives downstream inflammatory pathways. In this study of human tissue (ethics approval: H11930), we provide evidence for the disease-specific up-regulation of NLRP6 transcript and protein in ileal CD and describe an NLRP6-expressing goblet cell (GC) located predominantly in the upper portion of the intestinal crypt.