The IL-1 family in tumorigenesis and antitumor immunity

The IL-1 family of cytokines consists of IL-1 alpha, IL-10, IL-18, IL-33, IL-36 alpha, IL-360, and IL-36 gamma. These proteins form four signaling receptor complexes: the IL-1 receptor (IL-1R1 and IL-1RAcP), the IL-18 receptor (IL-18R alpha and IL -18R0), the IL-33 receptor (ST2 and IL-1RAcP), and the IL-36 receptor (IL-1Rrp2 and IL-1RAcP). The formation of receptor complexes is also regulated by various antagonistic molecules and decoy receptors. The IL-1 family cytokines are induced and secreted by both innate immune cells and tissue cells upon infection and tissue damage. Thus, they play a diverse role in mediating both innate and adaptive immune responses. During tumor development and cancer treatment, the expression of the IL-1 gene family is differentially regulated in tumor cells, tissue stromal cells, and immune cells in a stage specific and tissue specific manner. Like other cytokines, the IL-1 family proteins have pleiotropic functions that are dependent on diverse arrays of target cells. As a result, they play a complex role in tumorigenesis, cancer metastasis, immune suppression, and cancer immune sur-veillance. Here, we focus on reviewing experimental evidence demonstrating how members of the IL-1 family influence cancer development at the cellular and molecular level. The unique mechanisms of this group of cy-tokines make them attractive targets for new cancer therapy.