TABLE 1.

Forward and reverse sets of primers used for mRNA amplification of the cytokines or chemokines^a

Primer	Nucleotide sequence	Size (bp)	Tm (°C)	No. of cycles
Aldolase Ab
Forward 1	5′-GTG CTG GCT GCT GTC TAC-3′	184	53	29
Reverse 1	5′-AGG TGA TCC CAG TGA CAG-3′
IL-1β
Forward	5′-GTG GCA ATG AGG ATG ACT T-3′	534	53	29
Reverse	5′-TGG GCT TAT CAT CTT TCA A-3′
IL-1ra
Forward	5′-TCC GCA GTC ACC TAA TCA-3′	370	53	29
Reverse	5′-CTG TCT GAG CGG ATG AAG-3′
MCP-1
Forward	5′-CAA ACT GAA GCT CGC ACT-3′	317	53	29
Reverse	5′-GTT TGG GTT TGC TTG TCC-3′
MIP-1β
Forward	5′-GAA GCT CTG CGT GAC TGT-3′	246	53	29
Reverse	5′-TGG ACC CAG GAT TCA CTG-3′
Aldolase Ac
Forward 2	5′-GTG CTG GCT GCT GTC TAC AA-3′	218	56.8	29
Reverse 2	5′-GAC GCC TCC TCC TCA CTC TG-3′
TNF-α
Forward	5′-CTT GTT CCT CAG CCT CTT CT-3′	578	56.8	29
Reverse	5′-ACT CGG CAA AGT CGA GAT AG-3′

^aThe size of the expected PCR products, the annealing temperature (melting temperature [T_m]) for each set of primers, and the number of PCR cycles used are indicated.

^bA pair of aldolase A (internal control) primers was used for the coamplification of aldolase A, IL-1β, IL-1ra, MCP-1, and MIP-1β.

^cA different pair of aldolase A primers was designed for the coamplification of aldolase A and TNF-α due to GC-rich sequence of TNF-α and T_m incompatibility with the rest of the cytokine gene sequences.