Primer sequences for RT-qPCR. Primers were designed to be 18–22 bp with melting temperatures in the range of 52–58 °C. The primer name, abbreviation used in our study, accession number, and forward and reverse sequences are provided.

Gene	Abbreviation	Accession number	Forward primer	Reverse primer
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase	GAPDH	NM_017008.4	GTC GGT GTG AAC GGA TTT	TGT AGT TGA GGT CAA TGA AGG
Tumor necrosis factor	TNF-α	NM_012675.3	CCT CAG CCT CTT CTC ATT C	GGA ACT TCT CCT CCT TGT T
Interleukin 6	IL-6	NM_012589.2	GGA GAC TTC ACA GAG GAT AC	GCC ATT GCA CAA CTC TTT
Transforming growth factor, beta 1	TGF-β1	NM_021578.2	GAA CCA AGG AGA CGG AAT AC	GGG ACT GAT CCC ATT GAT TT
Caspase 3	Casp-3	NM_012922.2	CGC ACC CGG TTA CTA TTC	GCA TGA ATT CCA GCT TGT G
BCL2 associated X	BAX	NM_017059.2	GCT ACA GGG TTT CAT CCA	CCA TGT TGT TGT CCA GTT C
Interleukin 10	IL-10	NM_012854.2	ACG CTG TCA TCG ATT TCT	GGC CTT GTA GAC ACC TTT
Interleukin 1 beta	IL-1β	NM_031512.2	TTC GAC AGT GAG GAG AAT G	GAT GCT GCT GTG AGA TTT G
Metallothionein 1	Mt1	NM_138826.4	CACCGTTGCTCCAGATT	AGCAGCAGCTCTTCTTG
Metallothionein 2A	Mt2A	NM_001137564.1	CAGCGATCTCTCGTTGAT	GAGCAGGATCCATCTGTG
metallothionein 3	Mt3	NM_053968.3	TCCTACTGGTGGTTCCT	GCACACTTCTCACATCCT