[Interleukin 1 in host anti-tumor mechanisms]

The concept and practice of immunotherapy for human malignancy are based on the advances which have been made in detailed biological analysis of host defence mechanisms against tumors, which have indicated a wide variety of cellular and molecular antitumor mechanisms. Among these are various cytokines that can affect tumor growth and spread either directly or indirectly through host cellular effector mechanisms. Interleukin I (IL-1), a cytokine derived from activated macrophages, is known to induce profound biological effects in a variety of tissues and cells, generally producing a complex of responses associated with inflammation. It has also been shown to be essentially involved in the initiation of specific as well as nonspecific immune responses. Thus, although no solid evidence is yet available that IL-1 can produce any beneficial effects in the management of malignancy therapeutically, it seems worth considering the potential applicability of the molecule in tumor immunity. In this short paper, some of the functional aspects of IL-1 are summarized from the viewpoint of its effects on host antitumor cellular mechanisms, and the potential applicability as well as the possible problems associated with IL-1 in the management of malignancy are discussed.