Anti-inflammatory properties of NaB and nicorandil-preconditioned NSCs on ischemic stroke also were demonstrated in this study, where the preconditioning strategy was found to sucessfully inhibit pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α) and upregulate anti-inflammatory mediators (IL-10). The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is ischemic stroke.