Lingering Effects: Environmental Exposure Leads to Clonal Hematopoiesis via IL1RAP in 9/11 First Responders

In this issue, Verma, Zeig-Owens, Goldfarb, and colleagues report that increased prevalence of clonal hematopoiesis (CH) among 9/11 World Trade Center first responders is accompanied by uncharacteristic mutations in younger responders and an elevated risk of blood cancer. Using a mouse model of CH, they connect the clonal expansion triggered by World Trade Center particulate matter exposure to higher levels of IL1RAP, offering a new potential target to limit clonal expansion and reduce CH-associated risks. See related article by Verma et al., p. 2468.