Fig. 6: DHC maintains the VSMC contractile phenotype in the carotid plaques of Apoe−/− mice.

a Immunofluorescence detection of α-SMA (red) in carotid plaques, with DAPI (blue) indicating the nucleus (n = 8/group, scale = 50 μm/10 μm). b Immunofluorescence detection of SM-MHC (red) in carotid plaques, with DAPI (blue) indicating the nucleus (n = 8/group, scale = 100 μm or 10 μm). Data are presented as the mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05, analyzed using unpaired t-tests.