Fig. 3: BBR protected ApoE KO mice from choline-induced atherosclerosis. | npj Biofilms and Microbiomes

Fig. 3: BBR protected ApoE KO mice from choline-induced atherosclerosis.

From: Berberine attenuates choline-induced atherosclerosis by inhibiting trimethylamine and trimethylamine-N-oxide production via manipulating the gut microbiome

Fig. 3

Eight-week-old female ApoE KO mice (n = 10 per group) were fed with chow diet or choline diet in the absence or presence of 100 mg/kg BBR (BBR-L) or 200 mg/kg BBR (BBR-H) for 4 months. Atherosclerotic plaques in the whole aortas including the aortic arch, thoracic and abdominal regions (a), and aortic root (b) was assessed by Oil Red O staining, and the plaques area were quantified by ImageJ. c, d Immunostaining and fluorescence microscopy were applied to analyze the area of Mac-3-positive macrophages (c) and SM22α-positive smooth muscle cells (d) in the aortic root of ApoE KO mice. Scale bar = 500 μm. Representative images are shown. Values are presented as means ± SEM (n = 5–10). a p < 0.05 (versus chow-diet group); f p < 0.01 (versus choline-diet group).

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