Erlotinib-Induced Skin Inflammation Is IL-1 Mediated in KC-Tie2 Mice and Human Skin Organ Culture

The study investigated the mechanism behind erlotinib-induced skin inflammation using KC-Tie2 mice and human skin organ culture. It concluded that the inflammation was mediated by interleukin-1 (IL-1). Erlotinib treatment increased epidermal thickness and immune cell infiltration in KC-Tie2 mice, which was mitigated by the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra. Similarly, in human skin cultures, erlotinib-induced epidermal thickening and pro-inflammatory markers were blocked by anakinra. These findings suggested that IL-1 mediated the inflammatory effects of erlotinib, highlighting the potential of IL-1 inhibition to alleviate skin toxicity in patients undergoing EGFR inhibitor therapy.