Interestingly, the functional outcome of high CD36 levels in MT4-MMP-null Mac3+Mafb+AIM+ macrophages may be further shaped by environmental factors: in a lipid-rich milieu like AT, CD36 expression would favor disease progression; however, in contexts such as bacterial infection or amyloid deposition, CD36 might promote phagocytosis and resolution40. Here, MAFB is linked to bacterial infectious disease.