1997). The potential role of IL‐1β in the pathogenesis of DN dates back to 1996 when it was reported that a low expressing allele of the IL‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1Ra), which implies increased IL‐1 signaling, is associated with DN (Blakemore et al. 1996). More recently, it was reported that IL‐1β is elevated in plasma and in renal cortex extracts at the onset of DN, and anakinra, a recombinant human IL‐1Ra, can prevent or even reverse DN in different mouse models (Shahzad et al. 2015). The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is liver dysplastic nodule.