Figure 6.

Lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC)–specific deletion of Cd47 (cluster of differentiation) in mice increases arterial lymphatic vessel (LV) density. A through D, Aortic root cross-sections from male AAV (adeno-associated virus) 8-PCSK9–injected Cd47^WT and Cd47^ΔLEC mice (16-wk Western diet) were immunostained for CD68, iNOS (inducible NO [nitric oxide] synthase), Arg1 (arginase 1), and LYVE-1 (lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1). Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; blue). Representative confocal images of iNOS (green; A) and CD68 (red); Arg1 (green; B) and CD68 (red; scale bar, 50 µm); and LYVE-1 staining (red; C; scale bar, 20 µm) are shown (n=5–6). Statistical analyses were performed using a 2-tailed unpaired Student t test (A and B) and a Mann-Whitney U test (C). Data represent mean±SEM. A indicates adventitia; M, media; and P, plaque.