In AP, Liu et al. (2021) found that EV-encapsulated lncRNA MALAT1 could upregulate the expression of HMGB1 and activate the TLR4/NF-κB pathway through binding to miR-181a-5p, thereby facilitating the M1 polarization of macrophages, ultimately promoting the occurrence and progression of AP. Here, TLR4 is linked to alkaline phosphatase measurement.