Stress-induced modulation of NF-κB activation, inflammation-associated gene expression, and cytokine levels in blood of healthy men

Our data suggest that stress induces increases in NF-κB-BA that relate to subsequent mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory, but not anti-inflammatory cytokines, and of regulatory-cytoplasmic-proteins. The stress-induced increases in plasma cytokines do not seem to derive from de novo synthesis in circulating blood cells.