RELA, NFKB1, NFKB2, RELB, IKKβ and IκBα mRNAs that give rise to p65, p50, p52, Rel B, IKKβ and IκBα proteins were quantified in the PFC (Brodmann area 9) of human chronic alcoholics and control subjects (n = 15/group), and in the MC (Brodmann area 4) of the same subjects using TaqMan® Low Density Arrays (Table 2; n = 15/group). In the PFC, RELA mRNA was significantly decreased by 1.41 fold in alcoholics compared to the control group (stepwise linear regression F2,27 = 10.03, P = 0.003, covariate pH). No group×pH interaction was observed. The levels of the other five mRNAs did not differ significantly between alcoholics and controls. In the MC, a trend for an increase in the RELB mRNA levels in alcoholics (Student's t-test, T1,28 = 1,89, P = 0.069) was observed whereas the levels of other five mRNAs showed no significant differences between the groups (Table S2).
