Fig 2: Stress-induced CEBPB is the upstream transcription factor of TRIM2. A The Venn diagram shows the overlap of the upstream transcription factor of TRIM2 predicted by PROMO (a) and the gene regulated by EPI detected by transcriptome sequencing (b). B–D Immunoblot and qPCR analysis indicated that the expression of CEBPB is regulated by EPI. E Immunoblot analysis indicated that the expression of TRIM2 is regulated by CEBPB. F–H ChIP assays with CEBPB antibody or IgG were performed to verify binding between CEBPB and the TRIM2 promoter in 293 T cells. I-J Transwell assays revealed that CEBPB promotes migration in CRC cells. K Colony formation assays revealed that CEBPB promotes proliferation in CRC cells. L-M Western blot analysis indicated that inhibiting CEBPB expression reverses the EPI-induced promotion of EMT and CSCs in CRC cells. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001

Fig 3: CEBPB knockdown weakens cholesterol uptake, esterification and hydrolysis, and efflux in ox-LDL–induced macrophages. (A–I) Western blotting was adopted for detection of the expression of CEBPB, CD36, LOX-1, SR-A, SR-B, ABCA1, ABCG1, and ACAT1 in ox-LDL–induced macrophages with CEBPB knockdown. Compared with control, *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001; ****p < 0.0001. Compared with ox-LDL + si-NC, ### p < 0.001; #### p < 0.0001.

Fig 4: CEBPB knockdown triggers anti-inflammatory M2-like polarization of macrophages. (A) RT-qPCR for verifying the expression of CEBPB in macrophages transfected with siRNAs targeting CEBPB. (B–F) RT-qPCR for quantifying the expression of CEBPB, M1-type marker (iNOS), and M2-type markers (including FIZZ1, Ym1, and Arg1) in macrophages treated with IFN-?, and LPS, IL-4, or CEBPB knockdown. (G–L) Western blotting for evaluating the expression of CEBPB, M1-type marker (iNOS), and M2-type markers (including FIZZ1, Ym1, and Arg1) in macrophages treated with IFN-?, and LPS, IL-4, or CEBPB knockdown. (M–O) ELISA detecting the levels of TNF-a, IL-6, and IL-1ß in the supernatant of macrophages. Compared with control, *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001; ****p < 0.0001. Compared with IFN-? and LPS, ### p < 0.001; #### p < 0.0001. Compared with IL-4, @ p < 0.05; @@ p < 0.01; @@@ p < 0.001; @@@@ p < 0.0001.