IL18 and neoplasm: One study found that mice deficient in NLRP3 or caspase-1 exhibit high sensitivity to azoxymethane (AOM) dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced inflammation and suffer tumor burdens as a result of decreased IL-18 and lack of tumor suppressing cytokines, IFN-γ and single transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1) (Zaki et al., 2010b).