Figure 4. P38α ablation in macrophages does not affect atherosclerosis development.

(A) Southern blotting on protein extracts from p38α^MY-KO/ApoE^−/− and ApoE^−/− BMDMs to analyse p38α deletion efficiency in macrophages. P38α^MY-KO/ApoE^−/− mice, n = 3; ApoE^−/−, n = 3. (B) LPS (1 µg/ml, Sigma) stimulation and immunoblotting of protein extracts from p38α^MY-KO/ApoE^−/− and ApoE^−/− BMDMs. (C) Quantification of lesion size on whole aorta from male p38α^MY-KO/ApoE^−/− and ApoE^−/− mice. En face Sudan IV staining of lesions. P38α^MY-KO/ApoE^−/− males, n = 9; ApoE^−/− males, n = 9. Scale bar 2 mm. (D) Quantification of lesion area of atherosclerotic plaques at the aortic sinus of p38α^MY-KO/ApoE^−/− and ApoE^−/− mice. Plaques are marked by arrows on aortal cross sections at the height of the aortic sinus. P38α^MY-KO/ApoE^−/− males, n = 9; ApoE^−/− males, n = 15; p38α^MY-KO/ApoE^−/− females, n = 8; ApoE^−/−, n = 9. Scale bar, 0.2 mm.