Fig. 2: Macrophage differentiation is associated with SCF expression.

a qRT-PCR analysis of both SCF isoforms in CD14⁺ monocytes (Mono) and TAM isolated, respectively, from peripheral blood or ascitic effusion of EOC-bearing patients. The bars represent the mean ± S.D. (N = 3). b qRT-PCR analysis of both SCF isoforms in CD14⁺ monocytes (Mono) isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy donors and macrophages (Mφ) obtained after 1 week of in vitro differentiation. The bars represent the mean ± S.D. (N = 3). c, d Representative flow cytometry and immunofluorescence analysis, respectively, of SCF expression in CD14⁺ monocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy donors and macrophages obtained after 1 week of in vitro differentiation. In d, color legend: nuclei are blue (DAPI), actin is red (Phalloidin), and SCF is green. Scale bar 20 µm. e qRT-PCR analysis of M1 (IL-1β, iNOS, and TNF-α) and M2 (ARG2, IL-10, and CCL22) polarization markers in FACS-sorted TAM from EOC ascitic effusions. Data were normalized to monocytes. The bars represent the mean ± S.D. (N = 5). f qRT-PCR analysis of SCF 220 and SCF 248 in vitro differentiated M0, M1 and M2 macrophages after 24 h and 48 h from polarization. Data were normalized to the corresponding M0. The bars represent the mean ± S.D. (N = 3). g ELISA analysis of SCF on conditioned media of M0, M1, and M2 cells after 24 and 48 h from polarization. The bars represent the mean ± S.D. (N = 3). h WB analysis of SCF in in vitro differentiated M0, M1, and M2 macrophages after 24 h and 48 h from polarization. A representative blot is shown. SCF signal was normalized to β-actin. The bars represent the mean ± S.D. (N = 3). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001