However, after stimulation with IL-4 and TNF-alpha, both of which are standard agents to induce robust release of eotaxin-1 from fibroblasts [17], [18], pretreatment with arecoline at 25 and 100 μg/ml induced a significant elevation of eotaxin-1, suggesting that under proinflammatory circumstances, arecoline can induce eotaxin-1 release and modify the disease process in asthma. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is asthma.