IL1B and hepatocellular carcinoma: In liver cells or hepatoma cell lines (e.g., Huh-7 cells), TNFα and IL-1β induced by LPS only have minor effects on SOCS expression and their effects on GH resistance are mediated by reducing GHR gene transcription (32, 33), probably through inhibition of Sp1/3 binding to GHR promoter (10).