Remarkably, some stimuli, such as IL-1 or TNF, up-regulate IL-8 by more than 100-fold in human astrocytoma and alveolar epithelial cell lines (Kasahara et al., 1991; Brasier et al., 1998), suggesting a synergistic effect of EAEC by inducing high TNF-α and IL-8 secretion. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma).