The LABORATORY CORE will provide the assessments of soluble mediators, lymphocyte surface markers, hematological parameters and lymphocyte function in support of the scientific agenda of this Center. For the intervention study, Project l, measurements of plasma and inducible tumor necrosis factor-alpha: (TNF-alpha:), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type II (sTNFII), interleukin-1-alpha (IL-1alpha), and IL-6, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) cortisol, norepinepherine (NE), epinephrine (E), erythropoitin, renin, reticulocytes, red blood cell (RBC) indices and electrolytes will be made at the time points defined in the experimental design for this studies. For Project 3, selected subjects from Project 1 will undergo a laboratory study of hemodynamics and autonomic mechanisms both pre- and post- intervention and serial measurements of plasma catecholamines will be made. For the Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) intervention study, Project 2, the following immunology assays will be done on the serial samples collected on subjects at T0, Tl, T2 and T3 as stipulated in the study design for that project: lymphocyte proliferation assays (LPA) and inducible cytokines in response to the mitogen, phytohemagglutinin (PHA); natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC) against the tumor cell target, K562; number and percent of CD4, CD8 and activated sunsets of these, and NK cells (CD56+CD3-) using 4 color flow cytometry; plasma levels of neopterin, TNF-alpha and sTNFRII. Project 4 will study NK cells in a subset of subjects from Project 2 and will make use of the NKCC data done for that protocol. The Administrative Core will recruit 50 healthy sedentary controls. Blood samples from these controls will be assessed for all of the variables determined in this core, at a rate of 10 controls per year.
