Fig. 7: Melatonin exerts anti-inflammation and athero-protective role under diabetic condition.

a Melatonin decreases the S-nitrosylation of GNAI2 in aortas of STZ + HFD-treated LDLr^−/− mice. n = 6 mice for each group. b Melatonin mitigates the diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis as evidenced by en face Oil Red O staining of the whole aortas and melatonin mainly reduces the lesion in aortic arch. Scale bar = 5 mm. n = 6 mice for each group. N.D represents no detected. c Melatonin attenuates the plaque areas in aortic roots induced by STZ + HFD. scale bar = 200 μm. n = 7 mice in STZ + HFD + MLT group and n = 6 mice in other groups. N.D represents no detected. d Melatonin increases collagen deposition and smooth muscle cell content, reduces macrophage infiltration and lipid accumulation in aortas of STZ and HFD-treated LDLr^−/− mice, as determined by PSR staining (scale bar = 200 μm), immunofluorescent staining of α-SMA and CD68⁺ macrophage (scale bar = 50 μm), and Oil Red O staining (scale bar =200 μm). e Quantification of collagen content (n = 7 mice in STZ + HFD + MLT group and n = 6 mice in other groups), smooth muscle cell content (n = 6 mice for each group), macrophage infiltration (n = 6 mice for each group), and lipid accumulation (n = 6 mice for each group). N.D represents no detected. f Melatonin rescues the impairment in Ach-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation in STZ + HFD-treated LDLr^−/− mice. n = 6 mice for each group. g Melatonin suppresses the mRNA levels of adhesion molecules and chemokines in STZ + HFD-treated LDLr^−/− mice. n = 6 mice for each group. h Melatonin restores the phosphorylation of LATS1 and YAP in the aortas of STZ + HFD-treated LDLr^−/− mice. n = 6 mice for each group. Data are represented as the Mean ± SEM. a, b, e, g, h Welch ANOVA followed by Tamhane’s T2 test for post-hoc comparisons. For Icam1 in g, and c, f One-way ANOVA followed by Turkey’s test for post-hoc comparisons was used. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.