Nuclear factor-kappa B activation is higher in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of male smokers

Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is an oxidative stress sensitive transcri ption factor involved in the regulation of inflammatory genes. Activation o f NF-kappaB results into increased expression of inflammatory genes such as for interleukins, endothelial cell leukocyte adhesion molecules and induci ble NO synthase. Our study, with six smokers and 10 non-smokers, showed tha t NF-kappaB activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of smokers compa red 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. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.