NF-κB activation is not altered in zVAD-sensitized, TNF-α–stimulated neutrophils.

Neutrophils were preincubated in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or zVAD for 30 minutes before stimulation, at time 0, with or without TNF-α. At indicated time points, cells were lysed and NF-κB activation was quantitated utilizing a commercial kit (see “Materials and methods”). Results represent means ± SEM, n = 4. *P < .05 compared with DMSO or zVAD alone. The inset shows an EMSA at 1 hour following stimulation (see “Materials and methods”). C indicates DMSO alone; Z, zVAD alone; T, TNF-α alone; T^z, zVAD-preincubated, TNF-α–stimulated; T* and T^z*, assays performed in the presence of excess, unlabeled/competitive consensus oligonucleotide.