Table 1.

RT-PCR Primers and Sequences Utilized in Experiments 1 and 2.

Gene Target	Accession #	RT-PCR Primer sequences	Functional Role
IL-6a	NM_012589	Forward: 5’-TAGTCCTTCCTACCCCAACTTCC-3’	Cytokine produced in response to infection or injury and a potent inducer of the acute phase response, particularly as a pyrogen; has both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties depending on nature of inflammatory insult
		Reverse: 5’-TTGGTCCTTAGCCACTCCTTC-3’
IL-1βb	NM_031512	Forward: 5’-AGGACCCAAGCACCTTCTTT-3’	Pro-inflammatory cytokine that is a robust immune system activator; involved in the production of sickness behaviors and fever following infection; often used as an immediate early gene marker of microglia activation
		Reverse: 5’-AGACAGCACGAGGCATTTTT-3’
TNFαc	NM_012675	Forward: 5’-AACCACCAAGCAGAGGAGCA-3’	Cytokine produced by a variety of different cell types, with pleiotropic actions including activation of macrophages and endothelial cells during an immune response; typically one of the first cytokines evoked by LPSd exposure
		Reverse: 5’-ATGGCAAATCGGCTGACGGT-3’
IκBαe	NM_080899	Forward: 5’-CTGTTGAAGTGTGGGGCTGA-3’	When NF-κBf is activated and translocates to the nucleus, IκBα is rapidly induced and sequesters further NF-κB translocation, thus IκBα gene expression is often used as a reporter of NF-κB activation
		Reverse: 5’-AGGGCAACTCATCTTCCGTG-3’
GAPDHg	NM_017008	Forward: 5’-ATGACTCTACCCACGGCAAG-3’	Enzyme important for cellular metabolic function, but also has been associated with apoptosis, ER-Golgi functioning, and axonal transport; was used as a stable reference gene against which target gene expression was examined
		Reverse: 5’-AGCATCACCCCATTTGATGT-3’

^aInterleukin-6

^binterleukin-1 beta

^ctumor necrosis factor alpha

^dlipopolysaccharide

^enuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha

^fnuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells

^gGlyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase