Fig. 2: TREM2 controls necrotic core formation in early experimental atherosclerosis.
From: TREM2 protects from atherosclerosis by limiting necrotic core formation
a, Experimental design for atherogenesis experiments in BM chimeras reconstituted with Trem2+/+ or Trem2−/− BM. Aortic sinus plaque size (b–e), macrophage content (expressed in percent of cellular plaque area) (f–i) and necrotic core size (expressed in percent of total plaque area; necrotic area is demarcated by a dashed red line) (j–m) in Ldlr−/− mice irradiated and reconstituted with Trem2+/+ or Trem2−/− BM cells and fed an HFD for 8 weeks (b,f,j: n = 7 Trem2+/+ BM, n = 9 Trem2−/− BM); 12 weeks (c,g,k: n = 13 Trem2+/+ BM, n = 15 Trem2−/− BM in c; n = 14 Trem2+/+ BM, n = 15 Trem2−/− BM in g, n = 12 Trem2+/+ BM, n = 15 Trem2−/− BM in k); 16 weeks (d,h,l: n = 7 Trem2+/+ BM, n = 7 Trem2−/− BM in d,l; n = 6 Trem2+/+ BM, n = 7 Trem2−/− BM in h); or 20 weeks (e,i,m: n = 11 Trem2+/+ BM, n = 8 Trem2−/− BM). n, Experimental design for the in vivo TREM2 agonism experiment. Aortic sinus plaque size (o), macrophage content (expressed in percent of cellular plaque area) (p) and necrotic core size (expressed in percent of total plaque area; necrotic area is demarcated by a dashed red line) (q) in Ldlr−/− mice fed an HFD and treated with isotype antibody or 4D9 for 10 weeks (5 mg kg−1 i.p. twice weekly) (n = 14 Ldlr−/− mice treated with isotype control (eight males, six females); n = 17 Ldlr−/− mice treated with 4D9 (10 males, seven females). Squares, female mice; circles, male mice; pooled from two experiments. All bar graphs in Fig. 2 present data as mean ± s.e.m. together with individual data point distribution. Statistical tests: two-tailed Mann–Whitney test (b,d,f,h–j,l); two-tailed unpaired t-test (c,e,g,k,m,o–q). Pictures in a and n were created with BioRender.
