Moreover, our histological data from hemorrhagic MI supports the notion that the macrophages continue to be in a pro-inflammatory phenotype even at M6 as observed by intense immunostaining for IL-1β, TNF-α, MMP-9 and GLUT-1 in iron-laden regions undergoing macrophage-to-foam cell transformation (Supplementary Fig. 11). Here, MMP9 is linked to myocardial infarction.