Research Paper Volume 15, Issue 7 pp 2554—2581

Figure 6. TIMP1 promoted macrophage migration and M2-like polarization by activating the ERK1/2 pathway in CRC. (A) GO analysis and KEGG pathway analysis of overlapping TIMP1-correlated genes in the TCGA and GSE39582 datasets. (B) The PCR results of common cytokines were confirmed in SW480 cells with control and TIMP1 overexpression. (C) Western blot analyses of the indicated proteins in HCT116 and SW480 cells transfected with TIMP1 small interfering or control vector. (D) Western blot analyses of the indicated proteins in HCT116 and SW480 cells transfected with TIMP1 overexpression or control vector and treated with ERK1/2 inhibitor 1 (10 nM). (E) The migration ability of macrophages was confirmed with Transwell assays in the TIMP1 overexpression group treated with ERK1/2 inhibitor 1 (10 nM). (F, G) PCR results of detecting the polarization of macrophages under different cocultures with CRC cells treated with ERK1/2 inhibitor 1 (10 nM). (Data are presented as the means ± standard deviations; ^*indicates P < 0.05, ^**indicates P < 0.01, ^***indicates P < 0.001, and ^****indicates P < 0.0001).