Figure 7.

PBM regulates M1 macrophage polarization via the Notch1-HIF-1α/p-NF-κB axis. (A, B) PBM and DAPT at a concentration of 20 μM synergistically inhibited the neurotoxic polarization of macrophages. Representative blots show the expression levels of iNOS, Notch1 (NTM), HIF-1α, and p-NF-κB in each group. The expression levels of these proteins were also analysed. (C, D) DAPT alone at a concentration of 40 μM inhibited Notch-related pathways at low levels, masking the effect of PBM on M1 macrophages. (E, F) An adenovirus containing NICD1 was used to activate Notch signalling in macrophages, while the effect of PBM on the protein levels of iNOS, HIF-1α, and p-NF-κB in Notch-activated macrophages was examined by western blotting (all experiments in this group were independently repeated three times). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001; ns, not significant.