Effects of the eukaryotic initiation factor 6 gene on expression levels of inflammatory mediators in M2 macrophages during scar repair.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the eukaryotic initiation factor 6 (eIF6) gene on the secretion of M2 macrophage fibrosis‑associated factors and the expression levels of key proteases during scar repair. Male eIF6 wild‑type (eIF6+/+) and knockout (eIF6+/‑) C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally lavaged to obtain macrophages, which were induced to the M2 type using interleukin‑4. Differences between the gene expression profiles of these macrophages were compared with gene microarrays, and the results were validated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis and ELISA. Compared with the eIF6+/‑ mice, the mRNA and protein expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‑2 (TIMP‑2) in the M2 macrophages of the eIF6+/+ mice were significantly downregulated (P<0.05), whereas the mRNA and protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase‑2 (MMP‑2) were significantly upregulated (P<0.05). Therefore, the results indicated that eIF6 alleviated cicatrization, possibly by inhibiting the generation of VEGF, in order to prevent overgrowth of blood vessels and granulation tissues, and to regulate the MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio to balance the degradation and deposition of the extracellular matrix.