FIGURE 5.

Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) contribute in the acquisition of a CSC‐like phenotype in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cells via IL‐1β/IL‐1R axis. HMGB1 released from MPM cells (signal 1) induces pro‐IL‐1β production through activating TLR4 in TAMs. In TAMs, phagocytosed asbestos constitutively activates the inflammasome (signal 2), which in turn causes maturation and secretion of IL‐1β. Secreted IL‐1β interacts with IL‐1R on MPM cells via a paracrine mechanism. Finally, MPM cells acquire a cancer stem cell (CSC)‐like phenotype