Expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and osteopontin (OPN) in paraventricular nucleus (PVN), CA1 region of ventral hippocampus (vCA1) and in mesenteric lymphatic nodes (MLN).

Data are means ± SEM (CTRL, n = 5–7; Experimental = 12–14); as upregulation of the transcripts was not significantly different in residents and intruders, both groups were merged; n.f., no signal of the transcript was found either in standard or in preamplified samples; n.m., the transcript was not measured in the samples. Quantitative PCR was measured in standard (MLN) or preamplified samples (PVN, vCA1) of intact controls and experimental animals (residents, intruders) as mentioned in Materials and Methods. *P