The aim of this work was to characterize the functional activity of HMGB1 in inflammatory processes: (1) to confirm that HMGB1 is a TREM-1 ligand; (2) to show that HMGB1 induces TREM-1-dependent activation of cytotoxic lymphocytes that kill tumor cells that have evaded immune control. The gene discussed is HMGB1; the disease is neoplasm.