Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41940532›Full record

ArticleGenes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms2026

Molecular Mechanism of Caspase-8-Dependent Interleukin-18 Activation in Pancreatic Cancer Cells Induced by 5-Fluorouracil and Nutrient Starvation.

Hiroki Kamino, Yuko Nariai, Takeshi Urano

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Hiroki KaminoCenter for Vaccines and Therapeutic Antibodies for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shimane University, Izumo, Shimane, Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2489-0453
Yuko NariaiCenter for Vaccines and Therapeutic Antibodies for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shimane University, Izumo, Shimane, Japan.
Takeshi UranoCenter for Vaccines and Therapeutic Antibodies for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shimane University, Izumo, Shimane, Japan.

Funding

Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development B8F2025A01Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 20K07635Shimane University "SUIGAN Project"
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, and higher IL-18 expression in pancreatic tumors is associated with poor prognosis. Although 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been reported to induce the release of bioactive (mature/cleaved) IL-18 from the pancreatic cancer cell line Capan-2, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we investigated IL-18 activation in pancreatic cancer cells after 5-FU treatment under low-nutrient conditions that mimic key features of the tumor microenvironment, using a monoclonal antibody we generated that specifically recognizes cleaved, active IL-18. We detected the release of active IL-18 from both Capan-2 and MIA PaCa-2 cells after 5-FU treatment. Analysis of separated attached and detached cell fractions showed that IL-18 cleavage occurred predominantly in detached cells. We also clarified that caspase-8-but not caspase-1/4-was activated in detached cells and was required for IL-18 and GSDMD cleavage that is a hallmark of pyroptosis. Surprisingly, detached cells from only nutrient starvation showed the same phenomenon, and 5-FU contributed to increased pyroptotic cells. On the other hand, the release of active IL-18 was not observed with gemcitabine. These findings suggest that a low-nutrient tumor microenvironment and 5-FU therapy can promote caspase-8-dependent pyroptotic cell death with IL-18 activation, potentially contributing to chronic inflammation in pancreatic tumors.

Indexed as

Caspase 8FluorouracilInterleukin-18NutrientsPancreatic NeoplasmsAntimetabolites, AntineoplasticCell Line, TumorHumansTumor MicroenvironmentAntimetabolites, AntineoplasticCASP8 protein, humanCaspase 8FluorouracilIL18 protein, humanInterleukin-185‐fluorouracilcaspase‐8IL‐18nutrient starvationpancreatic cancerpyroptosis

Identifiers

PMID41940532
PMCPMC13051528

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.