Fig. 2

IL-1 blockade does not improve the anti-tumor efficacy of cetuximab. a Cal 27 and SQ20B HNSCC cells were pretreated with 10 μg/mL anakinra (ANA) for 4 h with or without 100 μg/mL cetuximab (CTX) for 48 h. IgG and PBS were used as controls. b Cal 27 and SQ20B HNSCC cells were pretreated with 1 μg/mL nIL-1αab or 1 μg/mL nIL-1βab for 4 h with or without 100 μg/mL CTX for 48 h. IgG was used as a control. c Cal 27 and SQ20B HNSCC cells were pretreated with 0.5 ng/mL human rIL-1α or 0.5 ng/mL human rIL-1β for 4 h with or without 100 μg/mL CTX for 48 h. IgG was used as a control. Media was collected and ELISAs were performed to measure IL-6 secretion. N = 3–4. *: p < 0.05 vs. IgG; **: p < 0.05 vs CTX and IgG. d-f: Athymic nu/nu mice (n = 12 [n = 6 male/n = 6 female]) bearing Cal 27 (d) and SQ20B (e) tumors and BALB/c mice (n = 10 [n = 5 male/n = 5 female]) bearing TUBO-EGFR tumors (f) were treated with CTX (2 mg/kg [8 mg/kg for TUBO-EGFR tumors]) twice weekly and anakinra (10 mg/kg daily) i.p. for two weeks. Tumors were measured three times/week. Tumor growth curves shown were stopped after a mouse in any treatment group reached euthanasia criteria. Error bars = SEM. *:p < 0.05