Fig. 2
Lack of MT4-MMP in BM-derived cells results in increased macrophage burden in atherosclerotic plaques and accelerated AT. a Representative images of Mac3 immunostaining (red; nuclei in blue) in transverse sections of aortas from Ldlr–/– mice transplanted with MT4-MMP+/+ (MT4+/+) or MT4-MMP–/– (MT4–/–) BM cells and fed a HFD for 8 weeks; scale bar, 20 µm. The right panel shows Mac3-positive cells quantified by Image J. n = 6 mice per genotype in two independent experiments. b Representative images of en face Oil Red-stained aortas from BM-transplanted Ldlr–/– and fed a HFD for 8 or 12 weeks (left) and graph shows the area (%) of Oil Red-positive lesions in the aortic arch (right); n = 6 and n = 16 mice per genotype for 8 and 12 weeks in two and three independent experiments, respectively. c Representative images of transverse sections of aortic sinus stained with H&E of BM-transplanted Ldlr–/– mice; scale bar, 200 µm. d Stary scoring (I–VI) of aortic lesions of BM-transplanted Ldlr–/– mice, shown as a percentage of all mice for each condition after feeding a HFD for 8 or 12 weeks; n = 6 and n = 16 mice per genotype and time point in two and three independent experiments. e Bar graphs show the percentage of BM-transplanted Ldlr–/– mice for each range of % of necrotic area (left) and fibrotic cap thickness (right) after 12 weeks of HFD; n = 16 mice per genotype in three independent experiments. Data were tested by two-tailed Student’s t-test in a, by two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post test in b, and by χ2-test for a trend in d, e. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001
