The inhibition of IL-1β after pSTAT3 inhibition by WP1066 is particularly significant, because IL-1β is an important regulator of gastric acid secretion, a potent promoter of tumour growth in a transgenic mouse model of gastric cancer [33], and an integral part of the NLRP3 inflammasome [32]. Here, NLRP3 is linked to gastric cancer.