IL1B and silicosis: Initially, after silica is inhaled, alveolar macrophages (AMs) are activated to release inflammatory cytokines and fibrotic cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) [7–10], which play crucial roles in inflammatory response and fibrosis of silicosis.