Figure 1.

Lactate promoted M2 polarization of macrophages in vitro. (A) Representative images of macrophage phenotypes after lactate treatment. Polarization of macrophages toward the M2 phenotype was associated with elongated cell shape (n = 3). scale bar, 5μm. (B) Morphological changes following the phenotypic transformation of macrophages at different time points (n = 3). scale bar, 5μm. (C) Representative fluorescence images showing the macrophage phenotypes after lactate treatment (n = 3). scale bar, 5μm. (D) Representative fluorescence images of macrophage phenotypes transformation after lactate treatment at different time points (n = 3). scale bar, 5μm. (E) Western blotting assay showing the expression of phenotype-related markers in LPS-stimulated macrophages after lactate treatment at different time points (n = 3). (F) Expression level of M1 macrophages-related markers after a 24-h treatment with different concentrations of lactate as determined by western blotting (n = 3).