Cancers (Jul 2020)

Interleukin-1β and Cancer

  • Cédric Rébé,
  • François Ghiringhelli

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12071791
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 7
p. 1791

Abstract

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Within a tumor, IL-1β is produced and secreted by various cell types, such as immune cells, fibroblasts, or cancer cells. The IL1B gene is induced after “priming” of the cells and a second signal is required to allow IL-1β maturation by inflammasome-activated caspase-1. IL-1β is then released and leads to transcription of target genes through its ligation with IL-1R1 on target cells. IL-1β expression and maturation are guided by gene polymorphisms and by the cellular context. In cancer, IL-1β has pleiotropic effects on immune cells, angiogenesis, cancer cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Moreover, anti-cancer treatments are able to promote IL-1β production by cancer or immune cells, with opposite effects on cancer progression. This raises the question of whether or not to use IL-1β inhibitors in cancer treatment.

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