Activin A skews macrophage polarization by promoting a proinflammatory phenotype and inhibiting the acquisition of anti-inflammatory macrophage markers

M-CSF favors the generation of folate receptor β-positive (FRβ⁺), IL-10-producing, immunosuppressive, M2-polarized macrophages [M2 (M-CSF)], whereas GM-CSF promotes a proinflammatory, M1-polarized phenotype [M1 (GM-CSF)]. In the present study, we found that activin A was preferentially released b…