Exogenous interleukin-1α signaling negatively impacts acquired chemoresistance and alters cell adhesion molecule expression pattern in colorectal carcinoma cells HCT116.

•Exogenous IL-1α-pretreated HCT116 cells are more sensitive to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).•IL-1α-pretreatment also increases chemosensitivity of a 5-FU-resistant HCT116 cells.•Endogenous IL-1α impacts chemosensitivity only in the parental HCT116 cell line.•Both 5-FU and IL-1α treatments alter gene expression of cell adhesion molecules.