Figure 4

Obesity downregulates expression of lymphatic markers in LECs. (a) Quantification of mRNA expression in LECs sorted from NCD- and HFD-fed mice skin tissues for all groups, demonstrating relative expression of Prox1, VEGFR-3, CCL21, ICAM-1 and Bax (n=4–6/group). Data are presented as fold change relative to the NCD-fed controls in all groups. Note the downregulation of Prox1, VEGFR-3 and CCL21 (*P<0.01 for all) and the upregulation of ICAM-1 (*P<0.05) and Bax (*P<0.01) in obese C57BL/6J when compared with their lean controls. (b) Representative immunofluorescent localization of LYVE-1⁺(red) and CCL21⁺(white) in NCD- and HFD-fed mice in all groups (DAPI is blue; scale bar=25 μm). (c) Quantification of CCL21 protein levels in hindlimb tissues harvested from lean and obese C57BL/6J mice (n=6–8/group, *P<0.01). (d) Representative low and high power (dashed box shown in lower right inset) immunofluorescent localization of LYVE-1⁺ cells (red) and Prox1 (top, white), VEGFR-3 (middle, white) and p-AKT (bottom, white) (DAPI nuclear stain is blue; scale bars=50 and 25 μm).