Figure 2

Antibiotic exposure impairs atherosclerotic plaque inflammation resolution. Analysis of aortic arch plaques from Apoe^−/− mice after 16 weeks on a Western Diet in WT-recipient mice 5-days post-transplant. Quantification of (A) Total cholesterol, (B) Lesion area, (C) percent CD68 + area within plaque, (D) CD68⁺ area normalized with respect to the Apoe^−/− donor mice. (E) Representative sections of aortic transplant arches from Apoe^−/−, WT-post-Abx⁺ and WT-post-Abx⁻ groups, stained with anti-CD68 antibody at ×100 magnification, with bright field images shown for full morphology. Relation of CD68 + lesion areas with relative (F) Firmicutes and (G) Bacteroidetes taxa abundances of fecal samples taken at the experiment end. Mann–Whitney and Pearson’s correlation test used. (n = 4–7 mice/group) * < 0.05.