Figure 5: Effects of TSG-6 on Atherosclerotic Lesion Development in ApoE

Among 28 ApoE−/− mice at 17 weeks of age, 6 mice were sacrificed before infusion, and 13 and 9 mice were infused with saline (control) or TSG-6 (75 ng/kg/min), respectively, by osmotic minipumps for 4 weeks. The aortic surface was stained by oil red O (A to C). Cross sections of the aortic sinus were stained with oil red O (D to F); antibodies of MOMA-2, a monocyte-macrophage marker (G to I); pentraxin-3, a vascular inflammation marker (J to L); α-SMA, a VSMC marker (M to O); and Masson’s trichrome, a collagen fiber marker (P to R). Hematoxylin was used for nuclear staining. (S to X) Comparisons of atherosclerotic lesion area, plaque size, intraplaque monocyte/macrophage and VSMC contents, vascular inflammation, and collagen fibers among the 3 groups. *p < 0.001; ‡p < 0.01; #p = 0.022 vs. 17-week control; †p = 0.024; §p < 0.005 vs. 21-week control. All values are presented as mean ± SEM. ApoE−/− = apolipoprotein E deficient; Cont = control; SMA = smooth muscle actin; TSG = tumor necrosis factor–stimulated gene; VSMC = vascular smooth muscle cell.