FIGURE 7.

TGF-β activity is responsible for MMP8-mediated M2 macrophage polarization. A and B, the protein levels of active TGF-β in CM of WT and MMP8-deficient BMMφ (A) and pMφ (B) after medium swapping as described in the legend to Fig. 5. C and D, exogenous active TGF-β significantly up-regulated M2-Mφ gene expression levels in both WT and MMP8-deficient BMMφ (C) and pMφ (D). The data presented here are an average of three to five independent experiments. *, p < 0.05 (MMP8KO versus WT); #, p < 0.05 (after versus before medium swapping, or Mφ inducers versus control).