Fig. 3: CLEC4A2⁺ macrophages protect from atherosclerosis.

a Schematic of macrophage ablation in atherosclerotic mice. Bone marrow (BM) cells from LysM^Cre+ Clec4a2^flox/DTR and Clec4a2^flox/DTR mice were transplanted into Ldlr^−/− (CD45.1) mice. The chimeric mice received a HFD for 12 weeks and intraperitoneal injections of saline or DT fortnightly for 10 weeks. b Cell numbers of resident macrophages, CD11c⁺ macrophages, Ly6C⁺ monocytes, Ly6C⁻ monocytes, cDC2, and neutrophils from aortas for each treatment group (saline and DT: n = 6 mice each, negative DT control: n = 4 mice; one experiment). Ordinary one-way ANOVA with Holm–Sidak’s multiple-comparison test. ***P = 0.0002 (saline vs. DT), ***P = 0.0005 (DT vs. negative DT control). n.s. not significant. c and d Representative images and plaque quantification of Sudan IV (red)-stained en face whole aortas of Ldlr^−/− chimeric mice for each treatment group (Scale bar: 5 mm) (saline: n = 8 mice; DT: n = 7 mice; negative DT control: n = 5 mice). Ordinary one-way ANOVA with Holm–Sidak’s multiple comparisons test. **P = 0.0033, *P = 0.0348. e and f Representative images and plaque quantification of Oil Red O (ORO)-stained sections of ascending aorta of Ldlr^−/− chimeric mice for each treatment group (Scale bar: 200 µm) (saline: n = 10 mice; DT and negative DT control: n = 11 mice each). Ordinary one-way ANOVA with Holm–Sidak’s multiple-comparison test. ***P = 0.0002 (saline vs. DT), ***P = 0.0007 (DT vs. negative DT control). g and h Representative images and plaque quantification of ORO-stained aortic root sections of Ldlr^−/− chimeric mice for each treatment group (Scale bar: 200 µm) (n = 9 mice each). Ordinary one-way ANOVA with Holm–Sidak’s multiple-comparison test. **P = 0.0080 (saline vs. DT), **P = 0.0080 (DT vs. negative DT control). All data are presented as mean ± SEM. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.