The proatherogenic effect of D. Desulfuricans was suppressed by TAK-242. Eight-week-old Apoe−/− mice were randomly assigned to four different groups, and fed with high-fat-diet for 10 weeks. A group gavaged with PBS as vehicle control (HFD + PBS); a group receiving daily oral gavage with live D. desulfuricans (HFD + Des); a group receiving daily oral gavage with live D. desulfuricans and administered intraperitoneally with TAK-242 (HFD + Des + inhi); a group receiving daily oral gavage with live PBS and administered intraperitoneally with TAK-242 (HFD + inhi). (A) The schematic illustration of mice with various treatments and sampling processes. (B) Representative photomicrographs of ORO staining and quantitative analysis of atherosclerotic plaque area in the aortas. (C) Representative photomicrographs of ORO staining and quantitative analysis of atherosclerotic plaque areas in the aortic root. (D) The lesion areas in the aorta, aortic arch, thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, and (E) aortic root sections were analyzed by Image J software. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 8 per group). Significances among the 4 groups were determined by one-way ANOVA, followed by post hoc pairwise comparisons with the Tukey honest significant difference. ns (no significance), P < 0.05 (∗), P < 0.01 (∗∗), or P < 0.001 (∗∗∗).