Nuclear factor-kappaB activation is higher in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of male smokers.
Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is an oxidative stress sensitive transcription factor involved in the regulation of inflammatory genes. Activation of NF-kappaB results into increased expression of inflammatory genes such as for interleukins, endothelial cell leukocyte adhesion molecules and inducible NO synthase. Our study, with six smokers and 10 non-smokers, showed that NF-kappaB activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of smokers compared to non-smokers is significantly higher (P<0.05). This indicates that NF-kappaB is involved in cigarette smoke induced inflammatory responses and that NF-kappaB activation can be used as a functional marker of oxidative stress.
van den Berg
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TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Department of Nutritional Physiology, Utrechtseweg 48, PO Box 360, 3700 AJ, Zeist, The Netherlands
Haenen
G R.M.M.
GR
van den Berg
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H
Bast
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